The Real Housewives of Durban (RHOD) has been rocked by allegations that it was underpaying its cast members.
This comes after Slindile “Slee” Ndlovu, who was part of ROD season three, said in a recent interview with The Spotlight podcast that the reality show paid her peanuts and left her financially worse off.
However, the executive producer, Sam Kelly, has responded to Ndlovu’s allegations, telling Sunday World that the payment that cast members received was not a performance fee but rather compensation for basic costs.
“ROD is an unscripted reality series, so while the cast is compensated to cover basic costs, participants aren’t paid performance fees like in drama series or films.
“All terms are shared and agreed upon upfront, and we’re grateful to everyone who has shown up, shared their lives with us, and helped make the show a success,” said Kelly.
We spent our own money
Ndlovu explained: “As cast members, we were expected to portray a certain lifestyle. For example, we had to buy our own make-up, host parties, and purchase our own clothes.
“We all did the show with the understanding that it was a platform to build ourselves as brands and gain exposure.
“However, everything came from our own pockets. We spent our own money to maintain the look, buy make-up, and host events. I funded myself.”
She continued: “So when you compare all of that to what I was paid, it was really just petrol money for me.
“From where I was standing, I was better off financially before joining the show, but I got to a point where I felt it wasn’t worth it. I was worse off than when I started.
“It’s not that we weren’t getting paid because we were, but it needed to make financial sense because, at the end of the day, this was a job.”
She also revealed that she had left her regular job to be on ROD but was not seeing the financial returns.
Pressure to maintain appearances
“I was away from my daily job, but I wasn’t making any money. There was no income, yet I was constantly spending money.
“I was portraying a lavish lifestyle, trying to prove to people that I wasn’t broke.”
The pressure to maintain appearances was one of the most difficult aspects of being on ROD, she continued, and it frequently resulted in cast members borrowing items.
“The show is designed in such a way that the public thinks we are rich. But in reality, wealth doesn’t always mean financial wealth. As much as we are selling a lifestyle, it does not have to be financial,” she said.
Ndlovu added that she eventually realised the importance of living her truth, as she no longer wanted to keep up appearances.
