EXCUSE ME? The Throne actress Keke Mphuthi says Ferguson Films fired her under 3 minutes after she worked for them for 3 years for two different productions.
- Hidden Pregnancy,
- Job is safe,
- Shona Ferguson spoke out of tune,
- We will reel you in,
- Enjoy your pregnancy
- We can’t do much about your character anymore,
- Showrunner dismisses Keke
This came to light on Wednesday when SABC’s Metro FM hosted a round table discussion with Ayabonga Cawe on issues affecting the industry and how these can be solved moving forward.
“It’s rather difficult for me not to be personal at this point in time. I’ve been through the most traumatising time of my life. Very bitter-sweet and my story is very deep.
“I worked for Ferguson Films for 3 years on two different productions where in which I was a lead actress… All was well until the 18th of December last year (2018) when I discovered that I was 17 weeks and 6 days pregnant. This came as a surprise to us because it was a pregnancy that hid itself, mainly because I was on contraceptives. If I was on contraceptives and I had medicals that were taken by you (Ferguson FIlms) which you got the results. You took my urine sample… And I came back to you after my next doctor’s check-up and I was pregnant,” says Keke Mphuthi.
She says she explained her pregnancy situation to her agent and her agent called her to tell her that Shona Ferguson said to her agent that she was “lying” and her contract will be concluded by the end of October.
Keke Mphuthi further explained that Shona Ferguson informed her agency that she was lying and she had concealed her pregnancy.
“According to him (Shona Ferguson), I was aware of which I was not and I can bring my medical records if he needs them because I did not know that I was pregnant.
“Connie (Ferguson) calls me to tell me that I should not worry and there’s no such thing happening (the termination of the contract) her husband was speaking out of tune…” says Keke Mphuthi.
The actress says that Connie Ferguson told her to concentrate on her pregnancy.
“The 30th of October I had a meeting with Shona Ferguson as well as his showrunner, Lauren Nell and my agent. Before this meeting transpired I said a prayer. When I prayed I heard a voice telling me to record that meeting. 28 minutes of Shona Ferguson ensuring me that my job is safe and I will have my job after maternity and my maternity will be paid, including which episode (140) I will exit on and come back in episode 170, and we will reel you in… We will see how we work around this,” explains Keke Mphuthi.
She says on December the 7th after having two other meetings with Shona Ferguson, which she, unfortunately, was too relaxed to record since the first meeting that assured her that her job was safe.
“I was told on the 7th of December by Lauren Nell, while Shona was in the other room, that they can’t do much about my character anymore,” says Keke.
The actress claims Ferguson Films used her pregnancy, scanned her child using an extra without her “knowledge”.
She says she was told by Lauren Nell under 3 minutes that she was dismissed.
MGOSI.co.za asks if this is a smear campaign against Ferguson Films or not? Why isn’t any other production house mentioned?
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