Hlaudi’s 90% quota a ‘publicity stunt’, says Mfundi Vundla
The policy was a problem because it was not accompanied by financial support to produce the content, says Vundla.
FILE PICTURE: Generations executive producer Mfundi Vundla addresses the media at the SABC offices in Auckland Park, 22 August 2014, following the termination of services of 16 actors from the popular soapie. Picture: Refilwe Modise
Former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s 90% local content quota was a “publicity stunt” that failed those who were supposed to benefit from it. This is according to Generations The Legacy creator Mfundi Vundla in an interview with DJ Sbu on Massiv Metro radio show on Tuesday.
Vundla said Motsoeneng came up with the policy to gain support from the entertainment industry, which he did from artists such as Doc Shebeleza, who has previously called Bonang Matheba and Arthur Mafokate “sellouts” for apparently not recognising the role Motsoeneng played in their careers.
The producer said though the local content quota was good, the only problem was that it was not accompanied by financial support to produce the content.
“The SABC did not have money, so it was an empty promise because today those production houses that produce most of the content are not getting paid,” he said.
Last year Muvhango executive producer Duma Ndlovu revealed that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has not renewed the soapie’s contract that ended in August.
He said production for the show was temporarily halted after instructing cast members to not go to work, as there was no money to pay them. Ndlovu further claimed he managed to pay all his actors after the public broadcaster reportedly sent him a letter promising to sign a new contract by the end of this month.
This came after reports claimed that the soapie’s actors had gone on a strike over nonpayment, reports Ndlovu vehemently denied at the time.
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