A dispute over unpaid legal fees has emerged between seasoned actor Zolisa Xaluva and television production company Seriti Studios, with the company accused of switching bank accounts and failing to comply with a court order to settle litigation costs.
The fallout follows an arbitration award ordering Seriti Studios to pay Xaluva more than R300,000 for breaching a performance agreement. The actor had starred in detective drama Code 13 on Mzansi Magic, but claims he was not paid for his work in March and April 2024.
As a result, Xaluva referred the dispute to the Arbitration Association of Southern Africa, which ruled in his favour. The award was later made an order of the Johannesburg high court in June last year, compelling the production house to pay about R350,000.
At one point, my lawyers found only R200 in their account. This is not normal for a big production house. It is clear to us that they might have switched banking accounts.
— Zolisa Xaluva
The arbitrator’s award was circulated to Xaluva and Seriti Productions on April 15 2025.
Despite this award, Xaluva says his legal team has struggled to recover more than R80,000 in outstanding legal fees, which Seriti Studios was also ordered to pay. A writ of execution issued against the company’s Nedbank account reportedly found insufficient funds to cover the amount.
“The situation is obviously not ideal because it poses an inconvenience to my finances. At one point, my lawyers found only R200 in their account. This is not normal for a big production house. It is clear to us that they might have switched banking accounts,” Xaluva said.
According to the performance contract, Xaluva was to be paid for his role as Bheki Ndlovu based on the number of calls he received to appear on set, with payments due upon invoicing.
Seriti Studios, known for producing hit shows such as Skeem Saam and Gomora, filed a counterclaim during arbitration. However, this was dismissed by the arbitrator.
In its arbitration papers, the company argued that the number of calls ultimately worked did not align with the remuneration discussed prior to the agreement being signed.
“If the performer is engaged on a call basis, the remuneration due to the performer shall be payable on or before the end of the week, during which calls were delivered provided an invoice has been received by the producer … by no later than the 15th of the month,” the papers stated.
Xaluva, a decorated actor with an extensive career in television and film, has also featured in drama series Smoke & Mirrors, further cementing his reputation as one of the industry’s most versatile performers.
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