Actors, crew, and producers of the film ‘Worse Than Apartheid’ have announced their intention to take legal action against Ambassador Bridgette Motsepe, her advisors, and all individuals directly involved in convincing them to delete the film – only to later discredit and defame them publicly.
This decision follows the recent press statement and legal opinion released on behalf of Motsepe, in which she labels the producers and actors as liars and extortionists.
“When we shot Worse Than Apartheid, Ambassador Bridgette Motsepe and her so-called hired former Judge Dennis Davis were nowhere in the picture. We didn’t even think they existed,” said Nanani Mashimbyi, the film’s editor.
“They will certainly pay a price for calling us extortionists when it’s the same Botox face Bridgette Motsepe who came into our space. We have listened to a recording from one of the Saxonwold meetings. Motsepe is contradicting herself, and she will be exposed. She doesn’t know how prepared we are for her, and she thinks money and connections will save her. We may be broke and poor, but we are not stupid.”
“This liar Bridgette knows very well that had she not invaded our space, we wouldn’t even be talking about this issue today,” Mashimbyi added .
According to the filmmakers, Chicco Twala, whom they initially thought was being paid by Motsepe, was in fact transparent with them.
“He once invited us to his office, where he tried to call Motsepe – she never picked up. Mr. Twala texted her in front of us, asking her to meet her obligations, and she ignored him. He showed us over 40 messages where he begged her to pay, and she never responded.”
The group questions why Motsepe never went to the police then, if she truly believed she was being extorted.
“She’s only coming out now because of our planned protest at her house — and she’s not going to stop us,” Mashimbyi continued.
“Come 13 October, we will be campaigning outside her house.” Instead of acknowledging her role in the delays, Motsepe has chosen to insult and label them.
“Who the hell does she think she is? We worked hard on this by ourselves, without help from anyone. We worked on this film to expose exploiters like her — now she’s shifting the goalposts and calling us extortionists.”
The filmmakers insist that it was Bridgette Motsepe who approached Mr. Chicco Twala after the film’s completion.
“When we released a 90-second trailer, some senior ANC leaders panicked. They sent this Botox-faced lady to speak to Mr. Twala, who was our executive producer.”
This followed a meeting between Twala and a senior ANC official who pleaded with him to delay the release, fearing the film would damage the ANC’s image ahead of the 2024 elections. When Twala refused, the official suggested bringing in Ambassador Motsepe — a close friend of Twala’s at the time — to mediate, and she agreed.
“When this Botox face Bridgette met Twala, she showed him a message from an ANC official and begged him to speak to us to delay the film’s release,” the filmmakers said.
According to them, Twala met with Motsepe more than six times. A meeting was then arranged at The Saxon Hotel, attended by Motsepe, a woman identified as Amy, and a few business figures she had invited to view the 24-minute pilot episode. After watching it, Motsepe expressed dissatisfaction.
“She was not happy with the timing — that it would hurt the ANC during the elections,” said Mashimbyi.
“One lady, Amy, and another gentleman — both white — commended the film, saying it was good for the country. But Bridgette disagreed, saying it painted the ANC in a bad light.” Motsepe then suggested a ‘reconciliatory’ film that would unite South Africans and promised that she and her business associates would raise funds for it. “So where is the extortion there?” asked Mashimbyi.
The actors and crew describe Motsepe’s latest claims as false, defamatory, and a serious assault on their professional reputation and character. It is a fact, they state, that all of Mr. Twala’s engagements with Motsepe were initiated through third parties, including senior political and business figures, who persuaded them to delay and later delete Worse Than Apartheid — a film that exposes post-apartheid inequalities and systemic injustice. They agreed to Motsepe’s mediation in good faith, believing she would support an alternative “message of hope” project.
Instead, the process was manipulated to suppress the film and silence its message.
“We were misled, manipulated, and publicly defamed for doing what we believed was in the country’s best interest,” said Nelly Montshiwa.
“We will not allow our names or our work to be dragged through the mud.”
Their legal team is now preparing formal proceedings against Bridgette Motsepe, her legal advisor Mr. David Dison, and all other implicated parties. The action will seek damages for defamation, reputational harm, and financial losses suffered due to misrepresentation and coercion surrounding the film’s deletion.
“We acted in good faith, trusting that we were contributing to a positive national message. What we got instead was betrayal.” As actors and crew, they reaffirm their commitment to telling authentic South African stories that reflect both the pain and progress of the nation — and to defending creative freedom and integrity within the arts and media sectors.
