Real Housewives of Durban shining star, Nonku Williams, is caught up in behind-the-scenes drama with TV show production company, Mmadipotwana Media.
Mmadipotwana Media, which is owned by businesswoman Moleboheng Matli, has slapped Williams with a R2.2-million lawsuit for reputational damage, loss of income, and breach of contract.
The company, which has produced a galaxy of shows for DStv, filed papers in the high court in Johannesburg in which it demands millions of rands from the sultry TV star.
This after the Durban-based belle ignored letters of demand from Mmadipotwana Media’s lawyers to pay the staggering amount or face the suit.
In court papers which we have seen, Madipotwana Media said it entered into a service-level agreement with Williams on February 24 to negotiate endorsements and travel sponsors, identify broadcasting opportunities for her and manage her reputation, among others.
She was obligated to pay Mmadipotwana an acquisition fee of R150 000 before the delivery of services of the contract on June 30 2022.
The agreed fee was supposed to have been paid in R50 000 instalments between April 7 and 31 2022. She was also supposed to have paid R55 000 public relations fees from May 30 backdated for three months.
Furthermore, Mmadipotwana would receive 15% of all royalties of the deals they clinched for the reality TV star for six months and thereafter 25% for facilitating transactions on behalf of her wine brand named A2B Winery.
Mmadipotwana was also expected to receive a further 25% of all public relationships which included “speaking engagement”, “master of ceremony gigs”, as well as “modelling” and “commercial gigs”.
As part of honouring its terms and conditions of the contract, Mmadipotwana said it profiled and developed the now popular A2B Winery brand, and also facilitated Sun International photoshoot for the company’s magazine, SouthGerian.
It also clinched a one-year endorsement deal for her with Eyerus App, facilitated her attendance of Zanzibar Women’s Conference and an exhibition of A2B Winery in the popular island of Tanzania.
In addition, said the company, it introduced Williams to Nigerian media houses, booked and managed events for her, facilitated a meeting with AmaZulu monarch King Misizulu Zwelithini and a photoshoot at the royal palace.
It also facilitated and organised the GBV (gender-based violence) commemoration walk with Eyerus App and PAWES Women’s Award.
According to Mmadipotwana, Williams also breached the contract when she failed to pay the company the agreed acquisition and public relations fees.
She also failed to show up for a photoshoot of the magazine and the events organised for her. This, Madipotwana said, did not only bring the company into disrepute but also caused revenue loss.
The damages suffered include R250 000 for the red-carpet event which Williams failed to attend and the R750 000 magazine sales the company lost as a result of her failure to attend the photoshoot.
The damages also include R100 000 Eyerus App endorsement commission that Madipotwana lost as a result of breaching the contract, R250 000 commission it was supposed to get from sales of A2b Winery units, R660 000 public relations annual fees and R250 000 reputation and integrity loss.
Read the court papers: “The plaintiff suffered damages estimated to be a total sum of R2 260 000 [two-million, two-hundred and sixty thousand rands] and the plaintiff retains the right to amend her pleadings in due course.
“Despite lawful demands, the defendant refused and or ignored to make the remedial actions herein. In the premises, the defendant is liable to compensate [the] plaintiff total damages suffered.”
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