The Bakwena Production producer, Rashaka Muofhe, is accusing the casting agencies of fraud.
Muofhe and Kagiso Medupe, his business partner, produced a drama series, Pound 4 Pound. However, they failed to pay service providers, the crew, cast members and background actors. They have been owing them since last year August.
Sunday World can further reveal that some of the crew members and service providers have been paid. But not the casting agencies and background actors.
Muofhe cited fraud and corruption as the reason for non-payment.
Blames fraudulent acts by cast members
In one of the emails to the South African Background actors Guild (SABAG), he blamed fraudulent acts by background actors.
“There was a lot of fraud committed with background actors, duplicated IDs, sign-on sheets multiplied by one individual. And the list goes on. We are in the process of concluding our internal investigations. And once this process is completed, we will take the necessary recourse against impacted individuals.
“Then… we will effect payment to the correct companies latest by 28 February 2025. We have also received derogatory, threatening and defaming messages from certain individuals. These include agencies, and the necessary law enforcement will be approached.”
Muofhe’s response angered the casting agencies, they said they were never informed about these allegations.
Agencies say he never informed them
One of the casting agencies reps who preferred to remain anonymous said: “We were surprised about these allegations. The sad part is that he is not communicating with us. As such, we don’t know what he’s talking about. If there was any truth in this we should have been notified. He’s owing us from last year and now he is coming up with stories. Therefore I don’t believe him. I just think he simply doesn’t want to pay us.”
Another casting agent who also asked to remain anonymous said: “The background actors haven’t been paid. And he knows that. For him to accuse us of fraud and corruption through SABAG is insulting and disrespectful.
“If there was any truth in this, he would have opened cases against us. Also, he paid majority of the cast and service providers [except] us. To me this is a sign that he just does not want to pay us.”
Both Muofhe and Medupe were contacted. Muofhe declined to comment. He only said: “No comment. We don’t respond to allegations on internal matters as per contractual obligations.”
