‘Pimville’ discontinued after failing to pay cast and crew

by Zintle Mdaka

The Pimville drama has officially been discontinued by the South African Broadcasting Corporation following ongoing allegations that cast and crew members were not paid by production company, Bakwena Productions.

Also see:‘Pimville’ telenovela halts over unpaid cast and crew

SABC pulls the plug on the drama

In a statement released on Monday, the SABC confirmed that the show would be removed from air due to unresolved contractual obligations and operational breaches linked to Bakwena Productions. The broadcaster described the outcome as “deeply regrettable”, especially considering the efforts of the cast, crew and loyal viewers.

“Following a thorough review process and careful consideration, the SABC regrets to announce that Pimville will be discontinued from tonight, due to unresolved contractual obligations and breaches identified and communicated formally to Bakwena Productions.

“This outcome is deeply regrettable, particularly considering the dedication and hard work demonstrated by the cast, crew, as well as the unwavering support received from audiences, partners, and all stakeholders who contributed to the programme’s success,” read the statement.

SABC announced that as part of their contingency plans, the 9 pm timeslot previously occupied by Pimville will now be playing repeat episodes of the brand new Season 2 of the telenovela Amalanga Awafani.

Also see: Lala Tuku allegedly placed on precautionary suspension amid ‘Pimville’ non-payments

“The SABC would also like to assure the public that the acquisition and commissioning of Pimville followed the Corporation’s standard approval and commissioning processes applicable to SABC productions. These processes included the necessary editorial, operational, commercial, and governance approval mechanisms.

“Following concerns that emerged during the production process, the SABC implemented enhanced oversight and risk mitigation measures aimed at strengthening production monitoring and governance controls,” they added.

Allegations of unpaid workers spark outrage

The controversy surrounding the telenovela has been growing for weeks, with reports alleging that actors, crew members and service providers had not received payments for months. According to reports, production on the show was halted after workers refused to continue filming over the alleged non-payment issues.

Teeveetee Blog Spot previously reported that Bakwena Productions had allegedly failed to pay workers on other productions in the past, despite assurances that measures had been put in place to avoid similar issues on Pimville.

Executives reportedly suspended amid investigations

The fallout from the scandal has reportedly led to the suspension of several SABC executives, including Head of Content Lala Tuku, as investigations continue into the commissioning and oversight of the production.  Actor and producer Kagiso Modupe later addressed the backlash publicly, stating that he supports calls for all cast and crew members to be paid fairly.

Also see: Kagiso Modupe speaks out on ‘Pimville’ payment controversy

Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp channel for content worth tapping into. Click here to join!