According to reports over 50 background actors haven’t been paid for their work in December 2023 and January 2024. Picture: freepik
“My Brother's Keeper” has become a fan favourite since the telenovela premiered in October 2023. The show is centred around family greed, power struggles, and betrayal.
With a talented cast featuring Wiseman Mncube, Zola Nombona, and S'dumo Mtshali, it’s no surprise that the series is doing well. However, there’s apparently a storm brewing behind the scenes.
According to two extras who spoke to “Sunday World”, over 50 background actors haven’t been paid for their work in December 2023 and January 2024.
As a result, the actors took matters into their own hands, staging a sit-in on February 3, demanding the money they’re owed.
One background actor, who wished to remain anonymous, shared their frustration: “We’ve been asked to come back to work, but we haven’t been paid since December. They keep ignoring us, and we’re tired of it.”
The situation escalated when the background actors halted the shoot, refusing to continue until their wages were settled. While they were eventually paid for their December work, January’s salaries are still pending, causing further frustration among the group.
“We’ve been patient, but enough is enough. No one is going back to work until we get paid,” said one of the actors.
Despite the actors’ claims, Kelly Nyathi, the casting coordinator for the show, has denied that there were any disruptions on set.
When asked about the payment dispute, Nyathi told “Sunday World”: “There were no issues. I don’t know where this is coming from.”
Nyathi has also denied any disruptions. She confirmed that no background actors were used on Monday but insisted that production ran smoothly the rest of the week.
“My Brothers Keeper” has been nominated for four South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas), including Most Popular TV Soap or Telenovela, Best Actor (Lindani Nkosi), and Supporting Actress (Hlengiwe Lushaba-Madlala).