Late Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Gift Leremi’s wife, Mamello, and director Mfanelo Ngoma are at loggerheads over the footie’s documentary.
Whispering Leremi’s Take To My Child was wrapped up and ready to be received by channels in 2018.
According to Ngoma, the documentary was submitted to the SABC, SuperSport and Kwese TV before it shut its doors.
Brainchild of Leremi’s widow
The 60-minute documentary was the brainchild of the footballer’s widow Mamello Leremi, who thought of it as a legacy to their child. She also saw it as an intimate way to introduce his fans to Leremi’s life as a husband and father.
Mamello said they had since been waiting for an update from Ngoma. This after he told them that the documentary would be handed over to an American channel. He promised that this would make it to the global stage. This after the documentary was allegedly rejected by the SABC.
She said she was shocked to hear that the documentary was allegedly screened in 2019.
This after Sunday World questioned the status of the documentary and its premier. It was then that Ngoma claimed that the documentary was screened at a film festival when Arnold Schwarzenegger was in South Africa.
Mamello said it was heartbreaking and unfair to learn that the documentary has been screened without her knowledge or invitation. This while she is the main character of the doccie.
Director had it aired without widow’s knowledge
The doccie highlights Leremi’s moments on the pitch. It gets more personal as it zooms into the life of the soccer star in his home. Then it focuses on the death of their last born child, who also died two years after Leremi’s sudden death.
“This documentary meant so much to me and our children. So I am really shuttered to hear that the documentary was aired. But we were not invited to the screening. Surprisingly, we never heard people talk about it.
“Also, if this documentary was aired as he (Ngoma) claims, then why were we not compensated? Because I believe that he would have received some sort of remuneration and decided to lock us out,” said Mamelo.
Ngoma told Sunday World that he only remembers that the documentary was screened during a film festival in Sandton. This when the US international movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger was in the country.
Director says it was a once-off screening
While the documentary or its reviews are available online, Ngoma claimed that people enjoyed the documentary and it was a once-off screening.
“This was a long time ago, I really can’t remember everything. But this was around the time that Arnold Schwarzenegger was kicked and it made headlines. I did not personally hand over the documentary but I will remember the name of the lady that did,” Ngoma said.
“I am not sure why the family was not there, but it was a long time ago and I am sure it was screened. The American channel did not come through as planned and we had to make another plan.”
