SOUTH AFRICA: GENERATIONS PAY DISPUTE Generations actors defiant following sacking from South Africa's most popular soapie.

Record ID: 460054

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: GENERATIONS PAY DISPUTE Generations actors defiant following sacking from South Africa's most popular soapie.
  • Date: 5th September 2014
  • Summary: GENERATIONS ACTORS AT PRESS CONFERENCE GENERATIONS ACTORS PAYING TRIBUTE TO ACTORS/SINGERS WHO DIED IN THE INDUSTRY CAMERAMAN FILMING ACTORS (SOUNDBITE) (English/Zulu) GENERATIONS ACTOR, MENZI NGUBANE SAYING: "I was diagnosed with kidney failure. Today, I live on dialysis. I do dialysis four times a day and I know that one day God will make a way and I will get a kidney. When I was discharged from Helen Joseph Hospital, it was a Thursday, on the Friday, I got a call sheet informing me that I am working on Monday." GENERATIONS ACTORS, ZENANDE MFENYANA AND ANGA MAKUBALO CRYING GENERATIONS ACTRESS, SILINDILE NODANGALA CRYING ACTOR JOHN KANI ADDRESSING MEDIA MORE OF GENERATIONS ACTORS PAYING TRIBUTE TO ACTORS WHO DIED IN THE INDUSTRY (SOUNDBITE) (English) GENERATIONS ACTRESS, ZIKHONA SODLAKA, SAYING: "And I'm not going to say us black actors are not paid well, we are. But we are faced with challenges like that, that we are put in a corner to think that this is a racial treatment. Why is it that most people that is in the same league as me she will get a better pay check than I? How is it that someone who has been in the same Soapie for three years, is getting the same pay check that I am, and I've been on the Soapie for ten years?" SOUTH AFRICAN GUILD OF ACTORS (SAGA) CHAIRMAN, JACK DEVNARAIN TALKING TO JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICAN GUILD OF ACTORS( SAGA) CHAIRMAN, JACK DEVNARAIN SAYING: "The looking for compensation in terms of residuals and repeat broadcast fees is an important feature something that even SAGA stands for and we have taken a stand in fact when it comes to negotiating with the broadcaster about that. There have been other concerns and grievances that have been raised by the generations actors that we could not support. Firstly ,because we don't know the full extent of the discussion and then secondly because there seems to have been a confusion on the side of the actors as to their correct status."
  • Embargoed: 20th September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1468K7D7VN6FBOENQJCTYWEYF
  • Story Text: South African soap opera "Generations" has kept African audiences captive for nearly two decades. Launched in 1994, Generations is the longest running show on South Africa's public broadcaster (SABC).
    Produced by Morula Pictures, the show follows the lives of rival media mogul families, battling for supremacy in the competitive industry.
    Recently, however, the actors of the popular soapie have faced drama of their own. Sixteen Generations actors were fired over a pay dispute with their producers. The actors had gone on strike demanding a pay rise.
    In protest to their sacking, they have taken what they describe as a collective stand against alleged unjust working conditions and racial discrimination on set.
    But the SABC has rejected the actors pay demands, accusing them of asking for "Hollywood" wages. According to local media reports, the Generations actors are paid between 16,000 rands (1,489 dollars) and 20,000 rands (1,861 dollars) per week.
    They want to be paid 30,000 rands (2,792 dollars) a week plus royalties. They are also demanding fixed three-year contracts from the public broadcaster.
    Calling themselves the "Generations Actors Guild," the actors recently held a press conference where they aired their grievances.
    At the emotionally charged media briefing, the actors paid tribute to entertainers in the industry, some of who died as paupers.
    Among those who spoke was Menzi Ngubane, who plays media owner, "Sibusiso Dlomo."
    "I was diagnosed with kidney failure. Today, I live on dialysis. I do dialysis four times a day and I know that one day God will make a way and I will get a kidney. When I was discharged from Helen Joseph Hospital, it was a Thursday, on the Friday, I got a call sheet informing me that I am working on Monday," said Ngubane
    Some of the actors sat weeping as Ngubane described his battle with kidney failure.
    Generations is the most lucrative show for the SABC. Advertisers pay upto 200,000 rands (18,614 U.S. dollars) for 30 seconds during the show's prime time slot. Generations boasts nearly eight million viewers in South Africa.
    Zikhona Sodlaka who has spent a year on show also accused the producers of racial prejudice.
    "And I'm not going to say us black actors are not paid well, we are. But we are faced with challenges like that, that we are put in a corner to think that this is a racial treatment. Why is it that most people that is in the same league as me, she will get a better pay check than I? How is it that someone who has been in the same Soapie for three years, is getting the same pay check that I am, and I've been on the Soapie for ten years?" said Zikhona Sodlaka.
    The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) represents actors in the film and television industry.
    The Guild's director, Jack Devnarain who is also an actor on another popular SABC soapie, "Isidingo" said the actors demands were reasonable but cautioned that others were not within the purview of the organisation.
    "Looking for compensation in terms of residuals and repeat broadcast fees is an important feature something that even SAGA stands for and we have taken a stand in fact when it comes to negotiating with the broadcaster about that. There have been other concerns and grievances that have been raised by the generations actors that we could not support. Firstly, because we don't know the full extent of the discussion and then secondly because there seems to have been a confusion on the side of the actors as to their correct status," said Jack Devnarain.
    Generations is currently airing episodes shot in the last two months until the end of September. The fate of the actors remains unknown.
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