Time-honoured Zeb fired from ‘Isidingo’

Mlangeni has been portraying the role of Zebedee Matabane in the SABC soap opera for more than a decade, after he started playing the traditional patriarch in 1998.

However, his lengthy time as part of the cast is apparently not getting him any special treatment, with his refusal to utter the name of a big South African bank written into his lines reportedly getting him fired.

Dishing the dirt on the situation, an anonymous insider told the Daily Sun: “It was part of the script and when he was supposed to mention the name, he skipped it. The bosses were unhappy with him.”

The insider explained that Mlangeni’s objection is grounded in the fact that he doesn’t personally benefit from the endorsement, saying: “This emanates from the fact that actors are not allowed to endorse products or companies without the boss’s consent.

“His argument was that he was only getting his monthly salary with no bonus or additional money for endorsing the bank. When he endorses a big company like that he’s supposed to get his share.”

Sources also claim that the actor was also almost fired from the show last year, apparently for being “arrogant”, but was saved by the SABC’s controversial former Acting Chief Operating Officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who allegedly “intervened” in the matter.

A meeting between the two parties is apparently set to take place on Monday.

– TeamTalk