Zuurbekom – The cast and crew of the South African television drama, My Brother’s Keeper, experienced a terrifying ordeal on Thursday evening when they were robbed at gunpoint after finishing filming.
The incident occurred in the usually quiet town of Zuurbekom as the team travelled from the production house in a vehicle carrying actors and crew members. Four armed robbers, driving a Datsun Go, pulled alongside the vehicle and, at gunpoint, relieved the occupants of their cellphones and other personal belongings before fleeing the scene.
Following the robbery, one of the victims was able to trace a stolen cellphone, leading to a dramatic turn of events. The police were alerted, and the flying squad swiftly tracked the robbers to Protea Glen, where a tense shootout ensued. Two of the robbers were apprehended and injured during the exchange of gunfire. They were subsequently transported to hospital under heavy police guard, while the remaining two suspects remain at large.
A crew member, who requested anonymity, expressed concerns about the safety of the production team, particularly given the late working hours necessitated by the show's impending conclusion.
"We are even scared of working until late now after this incident. What if they come back again? Remember we are trying to shoot the last parts of the drama because it has been discontinued from this year. So we don't know if we will be working as from next week because our safety is compromised since we work until late," they stated.
The incident has raised concerns amongst the production team, with suspicions of an inside job circulating. These concerns are compounded by the fact that the production's security company withdrew its services in November due to outstanding payments from the production company, owned by renowned film producer, Mandla Ndlovu. Since the security lapse, Mr Ndlovu has reportedly been employing private security personnel to protect the crew.
Mr Ndlovu himself is currently facing serious legal challenges. In October, he was granted R100,000 bail following his arrest on charges of tax evasion amounting to R25 million. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Hawks raided his homes and offices in Johannesburg and Durban, uncovering evidence of alleged failure to declare personal income tax, corporate income tax, and VAT.
He is facing these charges alongside two tax practitioners, Rodney Mutsharini and Maxwell Maloyi, who were each granted R50,000 bail. Further, SARS has frozen the business accounts of Mr Ndlovu and his co-accused, pending the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings.
The police have yet to release the names of the actors involved in Thursday night’s robbery. However, the two arrested robbers are scheduled to appear in the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
