SABC Faces Legal Action Over Alleged Theft of Mbongeni Ngema’s TV Show Concept
Zasuka Entertainment, co-owned by the late Mbongeni Ngema, has accused the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) of stealing an idea for a TV show they had initially pitched. The alleged infringement involves a reality show concept titled “Zasuka Traditional Music Talent Search By Mbongeni Ngema,” which aims to discover talent in three Mzansi music genres: Maskandi, Scathamiya, and Mbaqanga.
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The Alleged Copycat Show
Last weekend, auditions were held in Johannesburg’s Kwa Mai Mai for a new SABC TV show titled “uShuni Womhlaba,” which Zasuka Entertainment claims is eerily similar to their concept. This new development has prompted Zasuka to seek legal counsel.
“We are currently getting legal counsel and exploring if we’re going to claim for licensing,” said Moipone Khaoli, one of the creators of the show along with Ngema, Mark Roth, Sam Ncokazi, and Charles Khoza.
The Legacy of Mbongeni Ngema
Mbongeni Ngema, who passed away in a head-on collision in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, on December 27 last year, was reportedly very excited about the show.
“Mbongeni was so excited about this show, he was passionate about this idea and was excited when the SABC invited us for the pitch,” Khaoli added.
The Pitch and Subsequent Rejection
Zasuka Traditional Music Talent Search By Mbongeni Ngema had already made significant progress, including the creation of a pilot episode hosted by child star Siphiwe Mtshali.
The company claims to have spent R290,000 on the development, shooting, and marketing of the pilot. Auditions for the show were held last April at Durban’s The Bat Centre.
In December, the SABC invited Zasuka Entertainment to pitch their show. An invitational letter signed by the Head of Content, Lala Tuku, stated,
“We have great pleasure in informing you that your proposal ‘Zasuka’ has been selected for SABC 1 pitching session that will be held on 19 December 2023.”
However, in February, the SABC’s Acting Head of Content: Video Entertainment, Tshilidzi Davhana, informed Zasuka that the show would not be picked up. The reasons cited included a lack of structure, scale, and clear creative direction. The SABC also noted that the financial plan needed further clarity and that the Zasuka production team was deemed highly inexperienced for the intended format.
Recommendations and Next Steps
Despite the rejection, the SABC provided recommendations for further development of the show.
“Concept needs further development with a clear creative treatment, detailed series overview, and episodic breakdown per differentiated phase of the reality offering – auditions, bootcamp/elimination rounds, and live finale stages etc. Once it has been sufficiently developed, the production house can re-submit,” the letter stated.
Legal Considerations
Given the similarities between “uShuni Womhlaba” and their original concept, Zasuka Entertainment is now exploring legal options. “We are currently getting legal counsel and exploring if we’re going to claim for licensing,” Khaoli reiterated.