Ever since the inception of productions Empini and Queendom by Clive Morris Productions, there have been challenges, including financial and on-set issues. The cast and crew of the telenovela, Showmax's Empini and Paramount Africa's Queendom telenovela on the BET channel, first went unpaid but were eventually paid. The Empini Production has since been reassigned to a different production company, Crystal Pics, which is also said to be experiencing issues on set.

INJURY

An insider revealed to ZiMoja that Mpumi Mpama was recently injured on set during the rehearsal of a fight scene. He was later taken for medical examination and given time off to nurse the injury. Cast and crew have since sent a letter of concern to the production company asking them to address the issue.

Mpumi Mpama

THE OPEN LETTER

The open letter from one of the crew members that ZiMoja has seen reads: "I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my concerns about the level of professionalism observed on set during our recent filming on Empini. Unfortunately, there was an incident where an actor (Mpumi Mpama) suffered an injury close to the heart; he was hit with a gun where the script stated to just push him, in the presence of the stunt team and director. Mpumi was brutally injured to the point where he was rushed to the hospital. This situation highlighted a significant lack of oversight and communication that could have prevented such an occurrence. It's crucial that all safety protocols are strictly followed to ensure the well-being of everyone involved. Two days of production were lost in order for him to recover. Additionally, Mpumi is not the first cast member to allegedly be injured by her on set; it is reported that at least three to four other cast members have also complained. I believe it's essential for us to maintain a professional environment to foster creativity and safety on set."

SHOWMAX CONFIRMS

PR specialist at Showmax, Zibuyile Dladla, confirmed that Mpama was injured two weeks ago during a rehearsal fight scene with a fellow cast member. "Mr. Mpama was then taken to the doctor as a precautionary measure to examine any further injuries. He was then given a day off to get some rest. We can confirm that Mr. Mpama is in good health and back on set working again and his medical bill was taken care of," Dladla said. He added that considering that Empini is an action-packed show that requires the performance of many stunts, the production has put stunts and special effects safety in place for scenes involving stunts or special effects. "We have experienced professionals, coordinating all activities to ensure that safety protocols are followed. Detailed rehearsals and risk assessments are also conducted to minimise any hazards,' he said.