Btv�s Melody Gospel fails to pay winner
Spira Tlhankane | Wednesday June 14, 2017 18:00
The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development and Chande Transport from South Africa sponsored the show that aired on Btv every Friday at 6:30pm.
The complainant, Emily Tabengwa told Showbiz that the organiser of the show, Pagson Ntsie sent them from pillar to post until recently when he paid part of the whole amount.
“He is supposed to pay me P10,000 but after a lot of persuasion and inquiry he agreed to pay P6,000 and he is yet to pay the rest,” she said.
Tabengwa further said the issue had not gone well because others have long been paid except for her.
“I thought because it was a gospel show then everything will run smoothly, but I was wrong,” she said. She said if the showrunners do not pay her then she would take the matter to court.
“Everything didn’t add up about the whole show, we just want him to pay us because we spent a lot of money to participate in this show,” she highlighted. She said what got her worried was the announcement of season two by the organisers despite failing to pay her.
Ntsie, however, refuted Tabengwa’s accusations claiming that they are false.
“We have paid those people. I have proof. They just want to tarnish our name. Tell them to find something against us just not this one,” he said.
Ntsie produced a receipt of the P6,000 he wired to Ntabengwa’s bank account. He said the alleged remaining P4,000 cash was handed to Emily’s husband, Otsile Ntabengwa after the season completed.
For his part, Otsile Tabengwa said that Ntsie and his partners are full of excuses and had dragged the payment. “For so long, he has been blaming the delayed payment on the sponsor, who is Malakia Maseko of Chande Trasport. He only paid part of the payment because we told him that we would take this issue to the media,” he said.
The runner-up of the show, Shathani Maswibilili told Showbiz that the showrunners have long paid her P20,000 prize money. The winner Mooketsi Gaontebale, who was supposed to be paid P100,000 in cash prize refused to reveal whether he has been paid the full amount or not. “Go and ask Ntsie, I am not entitled to say anything about this, I still have a contract with them,” he said.
On top of the cash, Gaontebale won a recording deal, a year’s agency and distribution. There are also rumours that judges Koliwe Koliwe, Lebopo Bulayani and Kushatha Ndibi have not been paid for their service.