‘Some are owed 5 months’ salaries’: Ambitiouz in ‘financial trouble’

Besides being dragged to court by its former artists – Blaq Diamond and Bokang Moleli, better known as Malome Vector – controversial record label Ambitiouz Entertainment is reportedly in financial trouble.

ALSO READ: Ambitiouz hits back after losing court battle against Blaq Diamond

AMBITIOUZ ALLEGEDLY FAILING TO PLAY EMPLOYEES

According to City Press, the company has not paid its employees for months and the angry staff members say their boss, Kgosi Mahumapelo, has not communicated effectively. While some reportedly continue to work, others have stopped working.

“Some people are owed up to five months’ salaries, but have continued working here, even though they’ve had no communication from the company. It’s sad to see, because these people are breadwinners and some of them aren’t coping with this well mentally.

“No one has the guts to resign because the unemployment rate’s high in South Africa, so it’s better to have someone owe you than not have a job at all – but at what cost?” said a source.

ALSO READ: Blaq Diamond takes Ambitiouz to court over hit song removal

A former worker said Mahumapelo told them not to complain about the non-payment issue in public. He also allegedly told them he will continue splurging and posting on social media “because he wanted people to think the company was doing well.”

“At that time, he was advertising job vacancies, shooting music videos and running competitions. We saw all these things while in a dark place, working without payment,” said the former staff member.

ALSO READ: Smear campaign? Blaq Diamond deny Ambitiouz artist’s claims

SOME WORKERS WERE REPORTEDLY FIRED

Ambitiouz has allegedly also retrenched six employees earlier this year. The employees were reportedly retrenched after complaining about no-npayment in a work WhatsApp group that they were told to use to vent.

Another source said that some producers were laid off for working with Blaq Diamond.

ALSO READ: ‘He was a nobody when we dated’: Blaq Diamond star Ndu Browns’ ex

One of the producers who was fired said that they were not ready to talk about the matter as they have taken Ambitiouz to the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration).

BLAQ DIAMOND VICTORY OVER AMBITIOUZ

On Monday, 12 June, Ambitiouz was ordered by the South Gauteng High Court to pay all the costs of the interdict Blaq Diamond filed against them last year.

The music group – made up of singers Ndumiso “Ndu Browns” Mdletshe and Siphelele “Danya Devs” Dunywa – successfully interdicted YouTube and Ambitiouz Entertainment from deleting their music from their YouTube channel and all distributing platforms.

ALSO READ: ‘They owe us four albums!’: Blaq Diamond fails to honour contract

The duo’s victory comes after Ambitiouz had removed its hit song Qoma (featuring Big Zulu) from YouTube claiming copyright infringement.

Blaq Diamond’s lawyer, Jade Louella Naidoo, said that the next step is to declare their contracts invalid and unconstitutional because they are exploitive.