Service providers are up in arms after the musician and people’s poet Mzwakhe Mbuli failed to pay them for the services they rendered at his Siyabakhumbula Awards in October last year.
Thabang Malaza, whose company Fezi Path Pro supplied a sound system, and Dali Jalmeni, whose entity Jalmeni Digital Management Services provided project management services to the event, are still waiting for their payments, almost a year after the event was held.
Speaking to Sunday World, Malaza said she was approached by Mbuli’s partner, MJ of Genuine IT Solutions, who asked him to give them a quotation for the sound system to play at the event, which posthumously honours artists.
He said he quoted them R780 000, which they accepted. He said the organizers paid a R200 000 deposit and undertook to pay him the remaining R580 000 after receiving funds from the Gauteng Department of Arts, Sports and Culture and the City of Joburg, which, they said, were the main sponsors of the event.
He said Mbuli and MJ told him to expect the money before the end of 2024.
“But last year passed, and no money was paid into my account. When I contacted them, they told me they would pay me early this year, but they kept on changing their story and sending us from pillar to post,” said the aggrieved Malaza.
Malaza added that the tardiness of Mbuli and his business partner was hurting the small businesses and also exposing them to potential lawsuits because he had hired some musical instruments from other service providers who are now breathing down his neck for payment.
“They also threatened to take legal action against me. They also want their money to be paid with interest,” he said.
Jalmeni said that he was approached by MJ and Mbuli to be the project manager of the event. He said he charged them R45 000, and they accepted the fee.
He said they, however, said they were experiencing liquidity challenges and implored him to render his services and undertook to pay him the full amount after receiving funds from the department and the City of Joburg.
He said he also secured the services of Rage Studios to provide videography, photography and social media services for a fee of R92 000.
Jalmeni said Mbuli and his partner sent him and Rage Studios owner Pedro (surname coming) from pillar to post whenever they enquired about their moolah.
“I spoke to MZ (Mzwakhe) about this matter, but he told me that although he appreciated the services I rendered, he doesn’t care if I take him to court or the CCMA because he is not scared of anyone,” he said.
Jalmeni lamented that what broke his heart was when they discovered that Mbuli and his business partner had hired new service providers to render services at this year’s event, billed for October 4.
“They have appointed new service providers without paying us first; this is wrong,” he lamented.
