Mabalane portrayed the character of Detective Pheello Mohapi in the series.
Gail Mabalane as Detective Pheello Mohapi in the SABC2 telenovela Pimville. Picture: Instagram/@gail_mabalane
Actress Gail Mabalane has reflected on the abrupt cancellation of the SABC telenovela Pimville.
The production was pulled off air in May following a dispute between the SABC and production company Bakwena Productions.
Mabalane starred as Detective Pheello Mohapi in the series.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, the award-winning actress said her thoughts were with those affected by the cancellation.
“I woke up today thinking of Pimville, the cast, the crew, the countless individuals still navigating life after the abrupt end to a stream of income,” she wrote.
Mabalane said the series had creative value and that its cancellation affected many people.
“Imagine, one day you’re at work, making TV, and the next, you see this post on social media. This beautiful story deserved to be told… it should still be on air. Our beloved viewers!!! Honestly, as creatives and as an industry, we deserve better than this,” she added.
The SABC and Bakwena Production dispute
The cancellation followed a dispute between the public broadcaster and Bakwena Productions.
Cast and crew members had allegedly gone unpaid for two months, leading to a halt in production before the show was discontinued.
In a statement issued in May, the SABC said Pimville had been discontinued with immediate effect due to “unresolved contractual obligations and breaches” involving Bakwena Productions.
Bakwena Productions denied that the financial difficulties were caused by failures on its part.
The company said the SABC still owed it substantial outstanding payments linked to the production.
“These outstanding payments have created operational constraints and a severe strain on the broader production ecosystem, which the SABC statement fails to acknowledge and address,” the company said.
