SA stars cry foul over ‘slave’ working conditions
FORMER “Our Perfect Wedding” presenter Kayise Ngqula is the latest celebrity to speak out about the harsh realities of the entertainment industry.
This after another actress, Vatiswa Ndara, addressed a scathing open letter on Twitter to South Africa’s Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa on Monday.
In the letter, Ndara begged Mthethwa to take steps to stop the exploitation of artists, referring to a contract she was offered by Ferguson Films for “iGazi 3” as an example of the exploitation.
Ngqula also took to Twitter last week to reveal how she had been out of work since her last television gig and that her husband had supported her family before his untimely death.
“Ubuthongo soze buhle namhlanje (I will not be able to sleep today)! I’m so hurt . . . My depression has reached a whole new level today because finally someone took a stand for us. [Vatiswa Ndara] and I had conversations with you on set and I know that this is your truth.”
In referring to the scathing letter, Ngqula said that all Ndara had said had crushed her.
Although Ngqula considers herself “new” to the creative industry, she said she had felt the wrath of its unfairness and had been quiet because she feared being blacklisted.
“All of the truth you’ve spoken has crushed me. More so when you spoke about the inconsideration of our livelihood and that of our families. Soon I will tell the story of how being in a car accident and being severely injured cost me a job which you know about, Sis V (Vatiswa),” she said.
Ngqula further tweeted saying, “with that said, I myself am now a widowed, single mother with no job or income to take care of myself or my fatherless son. Yile (because of) the industry that I gave myself so much to endiphoxileyo (that has let me down)!”
Other celebrities have since taken to social media to express their grievances.
Actress Florence Masebe tweeted: “We need more gatvol voices to call out the mess in the South African television industry. Thank you, Vatiswa Ndara, for your bravery. We have to stand with you. All of us.”
Talita Ndima, who also starred on “iGazi” tweeted: “Remind me to tell you how I left Johannesburg about four months ago and move to the Eastern Cape because I was done being a modern-day slave”.
Meanwhile, TshisaLIVE reported that Connie and Shona Ferguson, owners of Ferguson Films, were considering legal action against Ndara over her allegations of mistreatment of actors. Sowetan.