Latest news with #KgomotsoChristopher
SowetanLIVE
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- SowetanLIVE
Kgomotso Christopher: The perfect icon
Was there a time Kgomotso Christopher was not relevant? The answer is simple — not in the past two decades. Petite but powerful, she melts hearts and lights up every room she enters, first with her beaming smile and then her star power. She has crushed very TV role she has played — Katlego Sibeko (Isidingo), Yvonne 'YV' Thebe (Scandal!), Dineo Price (Legacy), Keabetswe Moloi (Generations: The Legacy), and Nandi Mahlati (Fatal Seduction). Her acting career, paced with fearless choices, is what has made her the greatest and most versatile TV icon of our generation. 'I've played a drug addict, housewife, gambling hustler, investigative policewoman, lecturer. In theatre I've done everything from Shakespeare to Molière and Chekhov. There's nothing I've not done and there's nothing that I can't do and can't wait to play,' she says. When I challenge her to offer me a guide to her professional life in three-act structure, she doesn't hesitate. 'First Act: The struggle … the rejection. Second Act: A chance meeting. A chance given … serendipity. Third Act: 'Patience is a virtue',' Christopher quips. No matter the act, Christopher's greatest power in the industry is that she will always be the 'why' kind of performer. 'Why are you an artist? Why do you choose, still, to be an artist in a very unstable industry, in a country that's battling economically? Why?' she asks. 'It's in the moments when you don't have work, when you want to give up, when you don't know what your future looks like, especially financially in this industry because it impacts your family and children. The challenge is to find a way to remind yourself why you still choose the path and journey.'
The Star
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
South African creatives unite in a powerful demonstration fighting for the rights to fair compensation and ownership of their work
Despite the biting cold, a resolute crowd of South African creatives came together at Constitution Hill on Wednesday to voice their demands for fair earning rights for actors. The march, organised by the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), highlighted a pressing issue within the industry as performers seek recognition and compensation for their contributions to the arts. Among the notable faces at the demonstration were esteemed actors Kgomotso Christopher, Nambitha Mpumlwana, Loyiso McDonald, and Lawrence Maleka, taking a stand for a cause that they reveal has long been overlooked. Jack Devnarain, Chairperson of the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), laid bare the critical need for the Performers' Protection Amendment Bill. He asserted that this legislation would enable artists to reclaim ownership of their work, ending decades of neglect regarding their rights to earn royalties. 'For far too long, South African performers have been denied residual earnings and royalties by producers and broadcasters, robbing them not only of a sustainable livelihood but of the dignity and recognition their work deserves. We are also there to honour and fight for the legacy of actors who have passed and whose families continue to be denied the earnings owed to them. The demonstration coincides with the court's consideration of matters related to the Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB) and the Performers' Protection Amendment Bill (PPAB) – vital legislation that, if implemented correctly, would finally codify fair royalties and residuals for actors and other creatives,' he said in a video shared on social media. The march was emblematic of a larger struggle, as SAGA declared their commitment to both current and deceased performers who have long been denied their rightful earnings. The demonstration coincided with the Constitutional Court's deliberation on matters relating to the Copyright Amendment Bill and the Performers' Protection Amendment Bill, both pivotal pieces of legislation that could reshape the landscape for performers in South Africa. At the core of SAGA's campaign is a belief that access, equity, and fair compensation must be the cornerstones of a just society that values the contributions of artists. 'We stand firmly with ReCreate, BlindSA, Section27, Wikimedia South Africa, SADTU, LIASA, and others to advocate for these principles,' stated SAGA. With a call to arms, they urged all South Africans to recognise the invaluable role of the performing arts and the rights of those who devote their lives to storytelling. As lawmakers and the judiciary consider the intricate particulars of impending legislation, SAGA echoed a resounding message: 'We call on them to defend and uphold the rights of performers, ensuring the new legislation is just, inclusive, and enforceable.' [email protected] Saturday Star
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
South African creatives unite in a powerful demonstration fighting for the rights to fair compensation and ownership of their work
Amid chilly weather, South African actors and creatives unite at Constitution Hill, rallying for the rights to fair compensation and legacy protection as the Performers Protection Amendment Bill is debated in court. Amid chilly weather, South African actors and creatives unite at Constitution Hill, rallying for the rights to fair compensation and legacy protection as the Performers Protection Amendment Bill is debated in court. Despite the biting cold, a resolute crowd of South African creatives came together at Constitution Hill on Wednesday to voice their demands for fair earning rights for actors. The march, organised by the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), highlighted a pressing issue within the industry as performers seek recognition and compensation for their contributions to the arts. Among the notable faces at the demonstration were esteemed actors Kgomotso Christopher, Nambitha Mpumlwana, Loyiso McDonald, and Lawrence Maleka, taking a stand for a cause that they reveal has long been overlooked. Jack Devnarain, Chairperson of the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), laid bare the critical need for the Performers' Protection Amendment Bill. He asserted that this legislation would enable artists to reclaim ownership of their work, ending decades of neglect regarding their rights to earn royalties. 'For far too long, South African performers have been denied residual earnings and royalties by producers and broadcasters, robbing them not only of a sustainable livelihood but of the dignity and recognition their work deserves. We are also there to honour and fight for the legacy of actors who have passed and whose families continue to be denied the earnings owed to them. The demonstration coincides with the court's consideration of matters related to the Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB) and the Performers' Protection Amendment Bill (PPAB) – vital legislation that, if implemented correctly, would finally codify fair royalties and residuals for actors and other creatives,' he said in a video shared on social media. The march was emblematic of a larger struggle, as SAGA declared their commitment to both current and deceased performers who have long been denied their rightful earnings. The demonstration coincided with the Constitutional Court's deliberation on matters relating to the Copyright Amendment Bill and the Performers' Protection Amendment Bill, both pivotal pieces of legislation that could reshape the landscape for performers in South Africa. At the core of SAGA's campaign is a belief that access, equity, and fair compensation must be the cornerstones of a just society that values the contributions of artists. 'We stand firmly with ReCreate, BlindSA, Section27, Wikimedia South Africa, SADTU, LIASA, and others to advocate for these principles,' stated SAGA. With a call to arms, they urged all South Africans to recognise the invaluable role of the performing arts and the rights of those who devote their lives to storytelling. As lawmakers and the judiciary consider the intricate particulars of impending legislation, SAGA echoed a resounding message: 'We call on them to defend and uphold the rights of performers, ensuring the new legislation is just, inclusive, and enforceable.' Saturday Star
