‘She simply had no money to go to hospital’ – Liz Meiring on Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ death

On 7 June, the South African Presidency’s Twitter page posted that President Cyril Ramaphosa mourned the death of veteran actress and performer Shaleen Surtie-Richards.

However, South Africans did not receive the post well.

Many said that if the president had signed the Performers Protection Amendment Bill, the actress would have been better off by benefitting from royalties owed to her.

President @CyrilRamaphosa mourns passing of veteran performer Shaleen Surtie-Richards https://t.co/qWMWoqlUdR pic.twitter.com/Fx4jENvAki

Actress Masasa Mbangeni spoke out on the unfair treatment that actors receive in South Africa.

The actress said Surtie-Richards could have lived a good life and retired at her age if the president had signed the bill, which would have allowed Shaleen and other actors to receive royalties for television shows and programmes they starred in and which have been repeated and rebroadcast.

“On her royalties alone she could have retired and lived well. Please save your mourning,” Masasa said.

Some Twitter reactions from citizens who share the same sentiments as Masasa Mbangeni:

Surtie-Richards’ funeral will take place on Sunday at the Durbanville Memorial Park in Cape Town at 2.30pm.

The funeral will be live streamed, allowing Surtie-Richards’ fans to pay their last respects to the iconic actress.