SAGA urges restraint amid ‘Generations’ clash
As the Generations stand-off threatens to erupt in a public free-for-all, the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) has released a statement which calls for cool heads to prevail.
The statement reads:
SAGA does not have access to all the relevant facts in the matter, not having been formally included as an interested party, but the organisation is firm in its resolve to see contractual disputes addressed through the appropriate legal mechanisms.
The Guild’s position was eloquently summed up by our venerable colleague Dr John Kani at a recent press briefing: “I am an actor. I am professional … therefore, when you engage me, you engage me on a contract with terms and conditions. We are both equal: you do not employ me. You cannot employ me; I do not work for you. We are in contract; we are stakeholders, we are partners”.
SAGA’s unwavering support for colleagues in the industry is underpinned by the view that as independent contractors, actors are not employees as defined in the Labour Legislation. Accordingly, actors cannot rely on the protections automatically afforded workers under the Labour Relations Act.
The current dispute is playing out in a highly charged emotional environment and passionate views from all quarters are bound to find expression. However the law eschews passion in favour of reason; public utterances, made in the heat of the moment, may attract unintended legal consequences. Accordingly, the Guild urges all role players to exercise restraint lest they render themselves vulnerable to civil claims or criminal charges.
The South African Guild of Actors is dedicated to the liberation of actors from the archaic mindset of the master/servant model. SAGA advocates that actors assert their contractual independence in the pursuit of improved working conditions. The Guild continues to strive to create a unified voice for all actors in South Africa, empowering ourselves with knowledge as to our true legal status and the financial and tax benefits due to us as Independent Contractors.
Issued on behalf of the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) by Behind the Scenes Communications.
