SABC threatens to fire Generations actors

The SABC has threatened to fire all of the striking Generations actors on Monday, after having given them a second ultimatum to show up for filming on Monday or all be fired.

The Generations production was shut down again last week - the second time in 10 months - after the soap's cast went on strike. The cast demands better and longer contracts and that the SABC pay them for "royalties" or past rebroadcasts of the shows and overseas sales of the show.

Generations actors are also unhappy about possible back payments and future payments for rebroadcasts as well as international sales of the show to other countries and broadcasters which they say they have not received.

The lucrative Generations is the biggest TV soap in South Africa and also the most watched programme in the country, pulling an average audience of 7.5 million viewers on weeknights and eclipsing anything else in terms of ratings in the local TV industry for the past 20 years and counting.