IT APPEARS the popular sitcom Emzini Wezinsizwa may soon be back.
But sources close to the SABC told the People’s Paper unpaid debts, unresolved disputes and the death of key actors could make production difficult.
Many of the show’s leading actors including Roland “Mkhize” Mqwebu, Shadrack “Magubane” Ngema, Bafana “Sibeko” Mlangeni and Nyembezi “Mchunu” Kunene have died.
Kunene had written 13 new episodes but the material will have to be changed as his character was in the script.
Daily Sun has learned about meetings between Pixley Shabangu, writers of the previous series and the broadcaster about the payment of royalties from repeat episodes.
At a meeting at the broadcaster on 24 August, Pixley and his legal team allegedly said writer Fezile Nyeki was an intern and not entitled to money for repeat episodes. Fezile then accused Pixley of using his nephew Sicelo Shabangu as a writer when he was a typist.
The broadcaster apparently is completing the process of paying writers for repeat episodes of seasons seven and eight.
If approved, the writers will share a fee of about R2 million.
Pixley allegedly owes the broadcaster over R400 000 for cuts made from season four, but never returned to them according to the agreement. The broadcaster reportedly took legal action to recover the money.
SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago told Daily Sun he can’t confirm the return of the sitcom. He said they spoke to production companies and not actors.
The broadcaster’s COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng announced at Kunene’s funeral that the series would be returning to SABC1.
Kunene’s son Sonqoba confirmed there was a meeting between the broadcaster and writers. “Together with family lawyers, I attended a meeting last month about payments to the writers for repeats,” he said.
