Pimville Crew Faces Payment Crisis

Producer and actor Kagiso Modupe has addressed the escalating financial crisis surrounding the SABC2 drama Pimville, revealing a sharp contradiction between the broadcaster’s claims and the reality of his unpaid crew. While the SABC recently issued a statement asserting it has “fully paid all tranches due” to Bakwena Productions, the cast and crew remain without salaries for work completed months ago.

During a transparent briefing on 12 May 2026, Modupe countered the broadcaster’s narrative, explaining that while contractual payments were made, they arrived after significant delays that caused production costs to spiral. “I myself have not been paid,” Modupe stated, clarifying that any funds received were immediately swallowed by interest and prior production debts. He emphasized that the “full payment” claimed by the SABC does not reflect the total outstanding payroll for the workers on the ground.

The situation has reached a breaking point as the Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA) intervened to investigate the discrepancy. The union expressed concern over allegations that while the crew is starving, the production owners have been showcasing a “luxury lifestyle,” including the reported purchase of a new establishment in Sandton called The Black Box.

Modupe maintains that he has exhausted his personal resources, noting, “I am not sitting on a pile of cash while my team suffers.” With post-production currently halted, the focus shifts to a reconciliation meeting between the SABC and Bakwena Productions to locate the missing funds needed to settle the heartbreaking salary backlog.

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