Hansie movie extras to be paid

Johannesburg - The support staff for the film Hansie will be paid soon, according to the auditor and the producer, after having had to wait for their money for over two years.

The Johannesburg auditor who was appointed by the court to control income and expenses of the Hansie Production Company, has confirmed that the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has approved R10.5m in financing.

This money will be used to cover debts, which include fees and salaries.

"It's nothing less than fair," said Henriëtte Loubser from Pretoria. She and her daughter Talitha, who was in Grade 3 at that stage, were among the crowds on the pavilion during cricket matches in the film.

According to Loubser, they had to leave Pretoria at 04:00 every morning and be at the Wanderers in Johannesburg until 20:00 for filming for an entire week.

Loubser says she's not a money-grabber and it's not about the money for her, but rather about the principle.

The filming of Hansie was finished at the end of 2007.

Beeld reported in 2008 that support staff members had not yet received their money, even though Frans Cronjé, the producer and Hansie's brother, had indicated that they would have it by November of the previous year.

However, Loubser contacted Beeld this week since she, her daughter and many other support staff members had still not been paid.

On Wednesday Cronjé told Beeld: "The past two years have been a very tough time, since the original financiers couldn't provide the money which was agreed upon, but I am really grateful that we can now pay such a large part of the accounts.

"I hope this is an indication of both my own and my company's dedication to following through on the project.