Pathetic': Extras detail alleged exploitation by Mzansi soapies, paid R150Extras from Scandal!', Generations: The Legacy' and House of Zwide' are reportedly being exploited and getting paid R150 to R350 a day.
by Rae Seleme
29-11-2021
in SA TV and Film
Logos for SABC 1's soapie, Generations: The Legacy', e.tv's soapies, Scandal!' and House of Zwide'. Images via Twitter @etvScandal, @etvHouseOfZwide and @Gen_Legacy
Soapville is shocked to hear that background actors from soapies such as Generations: The Legacy, Scandal!, House of Zwide, and many more shows are being exploited.
--
The popular shows are allegedly paying their extras as little as R150 to R350 for a half-day and full-day shoots and this amount hasn't changed in 20 years.
SHOCKED to learn that in 2021, background actors are still being exploited.
I have learned that extras are still earning R150 and R350 a day.
It is alleged that Generations extras get paid R150 and Scandal pays R250 per day.
This is simple exploitation. Here is why
Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) November 29, 2021
EXPLOITATION:'GENERATIONS: THE LEGACY', SCANDAL!', HOUSE OF ZWIDE' Entertainment commentator, Phil Mphela revealed the shocking figures in a series of tweets this afternoon (29 November).
Soapie fans are enraged by the figures and have labelled them inhumane' and modern slavery' as extras are expected to be on set for as long as they may be needed.
--
They are paid this money at the end of the month and could be on set half a day and sometimes the whole day while the issue of payment is handled by the agency.
Mphela revealed that extras, like actors have no set working hours as they're sometimes called to work as early as 6 am.
This essentially means that extras are working to for transport money to work and are working for free.
--
James was an extra for 10 years in generations
You wanna tell me he was probably getting around R50 a month during that time pic.twitter.com/A3cG5fcILE
ChrisExcel (@ChrisExcel102) November 29, 2021
EXTRAS EXPOSE GENERATIONS: THE LEGACY', SCANDAL!', HOUSE OF ZWIDE' A viewer, @NomthyNelu, revealed that a friend of hers who was extra on e.tv's latest fashion drama, House of Zwide only got paid R150.
They started shooting from 6 am till around 2 pm and only got paid R150.
They ate amagwinya and polony, yaaks and these production houses makes millions of rands but exploits these extras.
@Zamoe_xbiss said extras get removed from their database if they confront the shows.
I've chosen to no longer attend any shoots that pay less than R350.
The other thing is I choose the shoots that are close to where I live.
Adverts pay better than soapies.
Another viewer was shocked to hear that the rates haven't changed and extras are still paid R150.
I used to work in the industry 15 years ago for the production company finance department.
Shocked that the rate has not changed over 15 years.
And we work the whole day while we shouted at Abanye basbheka sengathi siyanuka .all of this soapies I ve been at pic.twitter.com/dSAQb0wjzX
Bongekile Happiness (@HappinessBonge2) November 29, 2021
I was a victim for a couple of months, this is a few years ago. They paid us R85 or so because the agency takes 75% from that 350
Blaq Diamond (@uDikela___) November 29, 2021
Unfortunately, Minimum wage= legal, and R151,00 p/d is considered legal in our country pic.twitter.com/nunM14IN40
Comrade King (@cde_king) November 29, 2021
Really? 2011 we were paid R150 at Isidingo. That is pathetic. If you don t have an agent, you settle for less. Appearing on TV makes people to accept cents.
Lekgolokoe (@sammymoloi01) November 29, 2021
I was on extras for generations and rhythm under this other lady back in 2017/8 not once did I get paid, she disappeared with my money and I wasn t the only one this other guy said he had been waiting for months to get paid, extras are exploited
Dingane Xolani Nzeke (@dingaan_Nzeke) November 29, 2021
CLICK HERE to take part in our survey & stand a chance to WIN R5 000 in CASH!
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
15/06/2026
Detach from Direct-Attached: How Remote Editing with EVO Keeps Creative Teams Mo...
14/06/2026
Library captures 1960s R&B/pop drum sound
Following on from their recent wave of plug-in effects, Iconic Instruments have just launched an all-new virtual d...
14/06/2026
HBO Comedy Rooster Shot with URSA Cine 17K 65
Brie Clayton June 14, 2026
0 Comments
Large format brings viewers intimately close to characters.
Black...
13/06/2026
Latest expansion pack includes 252 presets
Devious Machines have recently introduced another expansion for their powerful multi-effects plug-in, Infiltrator...
13/06/2026
Create custom DAW/plug-in controllers using prompts
MetaGrid have recently introduced an all-new AI Builder function to their touchscreen-based control surf...
13/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
YES Network and The Gotham Sports App will air seven Athletes Unlimited Softball...
12/06/2026
The United Football League will host its FAST Innovation Suite at the 2026 United Bowl presented by Credit One Bank on Saturday, June 13 at 3:00 p.m. ET at Audi...
12/06/2026
PTZOptics and LayerJot will present live demonstrations at InfoComm 2026 showing how natural-language AI prompting, robotic camera control, and on-device comput...
12/06/2026
MultiDyne Video and Fiber Optic Systems will exhibit at InfoComm 2026, featuring...
12/06/2026
Ateme has announced that Eurovision Services is using Ateme's software-based frame-rate conversion technology for international live event workflows. The de...
12/06/2026
Bitmovin and Simplestream have announced a partnership with Xperi to simplify the launch of OTT streaming services on TiVo OS smart TVs and devices. The collabo...
12/06/2026
Net Insight has announced that a multinational technology company is deploying a...
12/06/2026
MLB Players Inc., the business arm of the MLB Players Association, has announced a partnership with Athletes First to develop and sell brand partnerships across...
12/06/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D) and VuWall have announced the CommandKeyboard-Advanc...
12/06/2026
Comcast Smart Solutions announces a new smart technology deployment with Major L...
12/06/2026
Elevation Worship completed the initial leg of its Elevation Nights 2026 tour ...
12/06/2026
AJA Video Systems has announced KONA IP25 support for Colorfront Transkoder and ...
12/06/2026
Audinate Group Limited (ASX: AD8) will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth C7321, Ce...
12/06/2026
Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould has announced the appointment of Scott Adametz as Chief Technology Officer. The Pac-12 describes the hire as the first CTO appo...
12/06/2026
Grass Valley has announced AMPP Edge Live, a production system combining Grass Valley hardware, NVIDIA Blackwell GPU acceleration, and AMPP OS in a single platf...
12/06/2026
At one time a trailblazer with the launch of the Longhorn Network, the Universit...
12/06/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
12/06/2026
Chyron has announced PAINT 10.4, an update to its illustrated replay and sports ...
12/06/2026
SVP, Production, Mark Gross: With the new schedule, with not having every Sunday night, it has given us an opportunity to take a step back and reimagine what o...
12/06/2026
For Televisa Technical Engineering Manager Roberto N nez Ibarra and the small team of 12 technicians and two production personnel at the IBC things are already ...
12/06/2026
Simple Steps to Better Acoustics - Taming The Small Room
Most of us mix in spare rooms and small spaces, where the acoustics fight us at every turn. At Gear...
12/06/2026
Latest addition expands vintage-inspired effects palette
Meris' Ottobit pedal range draws its inspiration from vintage gaming consoles, and the latest a...
12/06/2026
Soundbox-based chamber strings series expanded
Sonora Cinematic have just announced the launch of the second instalment in their Soundbox-based chamber stri...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
AJA Announces KONA IP25 Integration with Colorfront Software
Brie Clayton June 12, 2026
0 Comments
Collaboration enables uncompressed SMPTE ST 2110 I/O ...
12/06/2026
URSA Cine 12K LF Used to Create Visuals for STUTS' K-Arena Concert
Brie Clayton June 12, 2026
0 Comments
Organic visuals projected on a giant scre...
12/06/2026
MTI FILM Acquires Mango New Edit, Expanding its Global Post-Production Services ...
12/06/2026
AI Point Tracking Speeds Up Complex VFX Tracks in Mocha Pro
Jessie Electa Petrov June 12, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic point trac...
12/06/2026
Bitmovin, a provider of video streaming solutions, has partnered with Simplestream, a provider of OTT and broadcast solutions, and technology provider Xperi, to...
12/06/2026
Leostream Corporation, creator of the world-leading Leostream Remote Desktop Access Platform, today announced Jigsaw24, a leading B2B IT solutions provider wit...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
How Aussie indie games and screen are levelling up with IP 11 June 2026
Ari Harrison, Pro Jank Footy
Head of Games Joey Egger and Ari Harrison of Umbrella sha...
12/06/2026
AgentPerf from Artificial Analysis, the industry's first agentic AI benchmark, gives developers, enterprises and infrastructure providers a clear way to com...
Pathetic': Extras detail alleged exploitation by Mzansi soapies, paid R150Extras from Scandal!', Generations: The Legacy' and House of Zwide' are reportedly being exploited and getting paid R150 to R350 a day. 
