Patrick Shai, in the checked shirt , after a meeting with Cosatu leaders following their sacking from the soapie Generations for demanding better pay and benefits.Picture: Jabu Kumalo
These brave selfless artists – just like Vatiswa Ndara, who wrote an open letter to the minister of sport, arts and culture this week to intervene in her plight with the production house of iGazi where she acted – risked it all. Perhaps they had to be rewarded for selling out on the soul of the industry and, in the process, they were thoroughly schooled in the art of making actors faceless. And perhaps worthless.
TV actors have no privilege to intellectual property, syndication fees, product placement or product integration into storylines. But then mine is not a unique a story. I am mindful of people who are homeless and go to bed without a meal. This was the beginning of the total disrespect and displacement of the South African screen and television artists.
Just give them enough to ensure the culture dependency. An artist might win an SA Film and Television Award tonight but by the following day is found wThere is an actor who had become a cult figure on TV drama Zone 14 whose death was reported as suicide.
Let’s talk about Winnie (aka Khethiwe) in this pic for a minute before we tackle other issues please, shall we?
Come election these artists wear anc t-shirts and walk with anc politicians side by side...