Generations cast goes on strike

According to a statement released collectively by the actors, their demands for longer contracts (among others) have still not been met. Last year, the cast seemed to have reached an agreement with the SABC and the show’s producers, but the actors claim they were threatened with dismissal and ordered to go back to work.

“We are essentially in exactly the same position we were in last October when we first went on strike,” the statement reads. “Nothing has been resolved. We came back to work after the first strike in good faith, on the understanding that all the issues that we’d brought up would be addressed by the SABC by this past March– a date that they set.  Since then, they have missed their own deadline, and pushed the date out, with no discernible resolution to our grievances in sight.”

The most pressing demand from the actors is three year contracts. The actors feel that the intensity of their work schedule means they are not able to do other work to supplement their income.

Generations’ producer Mfundi Vundla has always remained unfazed by his actors’ strike action. Last year he said that he said preferred shorter contracts with the actors because he didn’t want to be stuck with actors who were disrupting the production of Generations.

“This action isn’t something we embarked on lightly.” The cast explained, “This is both our livelihood and our passion. Working on Generations is something we take extremely seriously – we only wish the broadcaster and the production house took us as seriously.

The cast embarking on the action are:

• Anga Makubalo (MJ Dlomo)
• Atandwa Kani (Samora Lembede)
• Katlego Danke (Dineo Dlomo)
• Mandla Gaduka (Selwyn ‘Choppa’ Maithufi)
• Menzi Ngubane (Sbusiso Dlomo)
• Nambitha Mpumlwana (Mawande )
• Patrick Shai (Patrick Tlaole )
• Slindile Nodangala  (Ruby Dikobe)
• Sophie Ndaba (Queen Ndaba)
• Seputla Sebogodi (Kenneth Mashaba)
• Thami Mngqolo (Senzo )
• Thato Molamu (Nicholas Nomvete )
• Winnie Ntshaba (Khetiwe Buthelezi)
• Zenande Mfenyana (Noluntu Memela)
• Zikhona Sodlaka (Priska Nomvete)
• Zolisa Xaluva (Jason Malinga )