Thapelo Mokoena acts in "Pimville".
Image: File.
The glitz and glamour of SABC 2’s latest flagship telenovela, "Pimville", has been marred by a production crisis that threatens to pull the show off the air entirely.
Launched earlier this year with the expectation of anchoring the 9pm timeslot, the drama, starring industry heavyweights like Gail Mabalane and Thapelo Mokoena, has hit a standstill as reports of non-payment to cast and crew surfaced.
As grievances went public, the spotlight turned on the leadership of the production house Bakwena Productions, Rashaka “Rush” Muofhe, amid claims of financial mismanagement.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has now broken its silence on the matter, issuing a firm update that places responsibility on Bakwena Productions.
The SABC confirmed through a statement that it has "duly fulfilled its contractual obligations" and is fully up to date with all payments, emphasising that it is the production company that is currently in "breach of contract".
"The corporation is therefore up to date with payments, underscoring its commitment to the smooth running of productions. It must be noted that in this case, the production company concerned is in breach of the contract with the SABC."
This clarification follows weeks of uncertainty behind the scenes, where filming reportedly halted due to staff not receiving salaries for March and April.
In a move to protect the integrity of the channel and the livelihoods of the artists involved, the SABC revealed that it became aware of concerns regarding Bakwena Productions shortly after commissioning the show.
"Following this, a set of risk mitigation measures were put in place. While these interventions were intended to safeguard the production and protect the SABC, recent developments indicate that further action is required.
"We remain committed to ensuring that all productions adhere to the highest standards of governance, accountability and fair treatment of all industry professionals," read the statement.
The SABC said that it is "actively engaging the production company to remedy the situation, implementing contingency plans to ensure continuity of content on SABC2 and exploring alternative production solutions, should this become necessary."
While Bakwena Productions has previously dismissed claims of a permanent shutdown, the SABC’s latest stance signals a zero-tolerance approach toward governance failures, leaving the future of "Pimville" hanging in the balance.
The SABC said that it will not provide further detailed comment at this stage as the matter is subject to contractual and legal processes.
Muofhe of Bakwena Productions did not respond to the claims at the time of publishing.