They had been planning their second annual Afrosoul in Concert event for months. Singing couple Thandeka Zulu and husband Sabelo Ngema who is the son of late Mbongeni Ngema were forced to cancel the event due to an alleged contractual disagreement with The Playhouse Company venue in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

An insider revealed that the couple had been in communication with the venue since the success of their inaugural event last year. "But umona, singabantu abanyama sinomona (We, black people tend to get jealous), the show had to be cancelled." It is alleged that after several discussions, the venue and couple could not reach an agreement and pulled out from hosting the event. "The show was a success last year; the venue management saw this and changed the terms of their contract on the last hour. It's sabotage, if you have to be brutal." The source reveals they, however, will continue despite the disagreement will look at a different venue. "The show must go on."

NO AGREEMENT

A disappointed Sabelo and Thandeka shared with ZiMoja in a statement that only after extensive discussions with the officials from The Playhouse Company, which is an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, they have unfortunately been unable to reach a successful agreement. "Initially, we were optimistic about a fruitful partnership, as the CEO offered us a gratifying deal to return to The Playhouse Company for the concert. However, upon receiving the contract, we were met by surprising terms requiring us to pay upfront fees, which was not part of the initial accord," they shared in the statement. "We reached out to CEO Mama Linda Bukhosini to inquire about the initial financial support promised to us. She informed us that their budget had been significantly reduced, which has led to their inability to continue with the promised support."

DISAPPOINTED

The couple had already begun internal preparations and communication with the creatives involved in the show. They went on to say that the Bukhosini suggested that they speak with the arts manager, Thandekile Mqadi, and explore the possibility of requesting an 'In Association" status (partnership) with the venue. "Unfortunately, we discovered that "In Association" does not provide substantial assistance to the creatives involved, as it requires artists to contribute a significant amount upfront for the production," the statement said. "Additionally, there is a ticket sales revenue split after the event, which further complicates matters. Even though we have proven beyond reasonable doubt with our previous show selling 98% of our tickets and running a sold-out show with artistic merits, this wouldn't make us worthy of the support from the Playhouse."

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

They were excited about the prospect of staging a memorable production for their supporters. "Unfortunately, the financial requirements outlined in the contract make it unfeasible for us to proceed with the event as planned." They plan to continue the production before the end of 2024. They are currently working to finalise the necessary arrangements including seeking support from other funding bodies. ZiMoja has not received a response from the CEO of The Playhouse Company Bukhosini.