Generations actors deny they are paid R55 000 a month
“BLATANT lies.”
That was a tweet from Generations actress, Zenande Mfenyane, on Friday after the show’s producers told a press conference what the stars earned. The conference was called to “clear the air” after the principal cast of Generations was fired.
In an industry first, Mfundi Vundla and Friedrich Stark from MMSV Productions, the company that produces the show, revealed the actors’ average monthly earnings. “I can’t reveal individual salaries. But on average the 16 actors earn R55 000 a month,” Stark told journalists at the press conference held at the SABC.
This was disputed by Mfenyane, who plays the temperamental Noluntu Memela and her co-star, Thami Mngqolo (Senzo Dlomo), who also tweeted the claim was a lie.
But the actors would not be drawn on their true earnings. Spokesman for the Generations Actors Guild, Marang Setshwaelo, told the Sunday Tribune they earn considerably less than the figure given by Vundla and Stark.
“It’s much less. Even if it was R55 000, when you factor in the taxes and the agency fees and medical care, it’s a considerably less amount that the actors take home.”
On Monday, MMSV Productions and the SABC fired the principal cast of Generations after they failed to arrive at work. The cast had been on strike, demanding bigger salaries and extended threeyear contracts. They also want residual fees from episodes rebroadcast and syndication fees resulting from the sale of Generations outside of South Africa.
The soapie, which airs on SABC 1, is South Africa’s most watched TV programme, with an average viewership of 7.5 million viewers on week nights, according to the latest ratings from the South African Audience Research Foundation. Created by Vundla, the show has been airing since 1993.
Vundla is adamant the show will go on and that the production company is accountable to the client, SABC, and the audience to deliver a quality show. Speaking to the Sunday Tribune, Vundla said, “Generations lives. We are facing a risk but we have creative ideas and we going to come out strong.”
When asked if he would accept the actors back if they wanted to return to the soapie, he said he would, but on his terms. “We have contracts with individual actors, and not a group. We will talk to those individuals we think fit in with the future plan of Generations.”
The show has enough episodes until early October.
Friday’s press conference was also attended by the SABC’s chief operating officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who said several big name actors were waiting in the wings to replace the sacked actors. “So we will have no problem replacing the cast. However, the door is not closed on the matter and the ball is now in their court.”
The Generations Actors Guild will hold a press conference tomorrow to refute the claims made by MMSV.
Setshwaelo said: “The cast disputes the amount touted by MMSV and Generations. Not only did the cast find it inappropriate, especially since it’s a false number, but they take great exception at being painted as if they are greedy and demanding.”