Legendary actress, Moshidi Motshegwa has revealed the real reason behind her sudden exit from popular 1Magic telenovela, The River.
The actress, who plays Malefu Mokoena on the show, announced on Azania Mosaka’s 702 show, that the producers of the telenovela had informed her that there was no longer a storyline for the character.
This is the story that fans of the show and of the actress were given and they have been distraught ever since, talking to social media to try and put pressure on the channel and the production to bring back their beloved Malefu.
Their pleas have fallen on deaf ears thus far and now, we finally know why.
In an interview with TshisaLive, Moshidi has revealed that she fired following an altercation between her and Executive Producer, Gwydion Beynon who accused her of being “cruel” to one of the young actors on set.
She told the publication that the alleged altercation with the actress happened just a few weeks before she signed her contract for season 2.
FAN REACTIONS TO MOSHIDI MOTSHEGWA LEAVING THE RIVER
"I had had a disagreement with Gwydion, one of the executive producers. He reprimanded me and told me that I was being 'cruel' and I needed to stop. One of the younger actresses had complained that she can't act (with me) because I am being cruel to her. I proceeded to ask what I had done and he couldn't say, so I left the meeting and went home,” Moshidi said to TshisaLive.
The publication has reported that the alleged confrontation happened in November 2018, not long before she signed her contract on 01 December 2018.
"On December 1, I signed the second season contract and on the 21st, which is the day that we were breaking up for our two week holiday, after work, I was called into a meeting. That meeting was with me, the line producer and creative producer, Percy Vilakazi. They said they are ending the contract because they don't have a storyline for Malefu,” she told the publication.
"What happened to me is terrible. Look, you have a right to fire somebody. You can say, 'hey from a business perspective, we no longer require your services.' But to wait until the 21st of December to cancel a contract a person signed 20 days before, that is just cruel,” she went on.
Moshidi told the publication that the way she was treated by the production was “insulting” and “disrespectful”.
She denied any wrongdoing, even in so far as the young actress is concerned.
END OF THE ROAD FOR THE RIVER'S MALEFU
"I was accused of something I had not done, there was no evidence of me having done something like that. And I hate this narrative that older black women are threatened by younger black actresses - we are not. She (the fellow actress) was not given enough support to help her with her craft. In fact, I'm one of the people that pointed out that she needed support and I would help her,” she said.
Moshidi has thanked her fans for the unfailing love and support.