Bakwena Production Media Group (Pty) Ltd, the company co-owned by Scandal! actor Kagiso Medupe and filmmaker Rashaka Muofhe, has once again found itself in the spotlight for alleged non-payment.
The production house has been served with a letter of demand from transport service provider Sipho Hlatshwayo, who claims the company owes him R141, 700 for services rendered in 2024.
According to the letter of demand, which Sunday World has seen, Hlatshwayo was contracted to provide transportation for cast and crew members during one of Bakwena Production’s shoots last year. The total invoice amounted to R202, 500, of which only R60,800 was paid on 31 December 2024.
Transport company owed over R140k
Part of the letter reads: “The outstanding balance of R141, 700 remains due and payable to our client, despite previous demands. Should you fail to comply with this demand, we will have no alternative but to institute legal proceedings against you without further notice.”
Hlatshwayo said the company has ignored his repeated attempts to secure payment. This forced him to escalate the matter legally.
“Clearly, they are still not willing to pay me. We have already served them with summons, and if this continues, I will have no choice but to attach their assets. This is not about the money only, it’s about accountability. We work hard to support productions, and we deserve to be paid for our services,” said Hlatshwayo.
This is not the first time Bakwena Production has faced allegations of failing to pay workers and service providers. In 2024, the company made headlines after a group of background actors and crew members accused it of withholding their wages following a television shoot.
At the time, executive producer Rashaka Muofhe publicly denied the claims. He told Sunday World Podcast that “everyone had been paid”. He added that the media had engaged in a “smear campaign” to tarnish his and Medupe’s reputations.
Not new to non-payment scandals
“People were paid, but late. Unfortunately, there were people who were unhappy and started spreading false information. The media did not verify facts,” Muofhe said in the interview.
However, those statements were later contradicted at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). There, the background actors successfully proved their case. Bakwena Production was ordered to compensate them for unpaid wages.
Despite these controversies, Bakwena Production secured a major contract from the SABC. They were contracted to produce the telenovela Pimville, which premiered in 2025.
Defending the decision, SABC Group CEO Nomsa Chabeli said the broadcaster had taken measures to ensure accountability and prevent similar issues during the production of Pimville.
“As part of ensuring that the SABC does not experience any issues with the production of Pimville, a supervising producer was identified to work closely with the production house to ensure compliance,” Chabeli said.
