Shaka iLembe producers Bomb Productions have launched a probe after hundreds of actors were allegedly starved, swindled of money and cramped at a camping site like sardines just to join the cast of the drama series.
This comes after actors revealed that they were never booked to be extras at the cast of the popular show. That was despite surviving the inhumane conditions.
An actress from Durban, who asked not to be named, revealed that she parted with close to R2,000 in one month. This was for fees to her agency.
She said at first she was told that she needed to pay R150 for a workshop on being an extra on the show. Then she was told that she needed to pay R350 to join the agency.
More fees to stay at a Joburg ‘camp site’
After joining the agency, she said she was told to pay R1,250 for rent to stay at a camping site in Johannesburg. She was told that it’s where over hundred of other extras stayed.
“Ever since we got into Becky Casting, we did the first workshop for Shaka illembe. When we did the second workshop, we had to pay R150. I don’t know what that was for, but we had to go in with our proof of payments. Otherwise, they did not let you in.
“After that, Becky Casting told us that we have to pay R350. This was so that we can be full members of the casting agency and attend the Shaka iLembe season two shooting.
“We did pay that R350 and as time went by, she said we must pay R1,250 so that we can go to the camping site. [We had to] stay there so that we can work every day. And when we work there, we will be paid R250 for extra times,” she said.
Agency would keep 30% of actors’ earnings
In addition, Becky Casting was going to withhold an additional 30% of their earnings as agency fees.
“We did pay that money; I used to stay at the camping site, it was not safe I don’t want to lie. We moved from that site and went to another site and went to a place that was more like a church.
“At that place, we had to pay R500 each month for the rent fee. As time went by, I did see that we were just staying there for nothing. We were not working, we just woke up, bathed with cold water and ate. This went on for almost the whole month and we never went on set. We just stayed there. They would take 10 to 15 people per day. I decided to go home,” she said.
Another actor urged that the extras take matters into their own hands by confronting the agency owners.
“We need to stand up as backup actors and support one another. These people don’t work alone. They work as a team. Once they realise that there is trouble coming, they move somewhere else. …This to avoid getting caught. We need to confront them and we need to support each other,” he said.
Actors’ guild wants to take action against the agency
The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) lifted the lid on the matter. It detailed the ill-treatment of actors through a statement released on Friday.
They encouraged affected actors to approach them for help in order to investigate the matter.
“SAGA has received several verified reports that hundreds of background extras brought to JHB from KZN and Mpumalanga. [They are brought] to work on Shaka iLembe, are being forced to pay their agent rent, and have only had a few days’ work in three weeks.
“Needless to say, the agent will still take their commission from the actor’s earnings. The actors are not being fed, have no per diem. And they feel that the agent has abandoned them,” SAGA revealed.
Bomb Production condemns incident, launch investigation
Bomb Productions said they were aware of the incident and have launched an investigation.
“We have been made aware that some agencies have been misleading and luring people to join [them] using our production and company name.
“[Bomb Productions is] extremely concerned by this. We have launched an urgent investigation into the alleged agencies. All those who supply extras to our productions have been informed that that anyone …contravening the code of conduct will not be engaged with.”
Becky Casting had not yet addressed the allegations by the time of publishing.
