Backstage drama has apparently been brewing behind-the-scenes at the e.tv weekday soap Rhythm City with cast members refusing to sign new contracts - although e.tv tells TV with Thinus that the free-to-air channel and soap is not aware of any "unhappiness".
Following a contract stand-off and months' long stay-away between Generations' cast members who banded together in the latter part of 2013 against producers and soap creator Mfundi Vundla for better contracts, e.tv's Rhythm City is now the soap where actors are apparently unhappy over the treatment they've been getting from producers.
It could see main actors like KB Motsilanyane (who plays Lucilla), Peter Sepuma (who plays Miles) and others perhaps walk away from the soapproduced by Quizzical Pictures.
TV with Thinus asked e.tv's publicity department earlier this week if e.tv can confirm that main member Rhythm City actors like KB Motsilanyane and Peter Sephuma have not yet signed new contracts.
TV with Thinus asked e.tv how many actors on the weekday soap have not yet renewed their contracts, and if there is anything e.tv wants to say about Rhythm City and the negotiation process regarding contract renewals.
e.tv declined to answer the specific questions and e.tv's head of publicty Matla Ragoasha, responded with a general statement, saying that e.tv "cannot divulge information regarding individual contracts in public".
According to Matla Ragoasha "the Rhythm City production has had open relationships with all talent" over the years. "We host regular forums for talent to express any concerns. All matters are discussed and resolved between the casts' agents, the production company, e.tv and talent".
TV with Thinus again asked e.tv if the channel can answer the specific questions not related to Rhythm City contracts.
Asked whether e.tv is knowledgeable about actors on Rhythm City who are unhappy and if there is a tense atmosphere on set and whether e.tv has any comment on this and what attributed to this situation, the channel said "no actor has brought forward any specific issues of unhappiness".
Asked if e.tv can confirm that there has been fights in public at the studios between producers and actors at Rhythm City, e.tv says "there have never been fights between producers and actors".
