HUMMINGBIRD GROUP STAKEHOLDER STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO SMEAR CAMPAIGN
The Hummingbird Group is currently under attack by one or two disgruntled former employees, who are conducting a baseless and malicious smear campaign against the organisation, and me, as its Managing Director.
Some of our clients and service providers are also being sent untrue, defamatory information and emails, in what we believe is an effort to cause malicious damage to the Hummingbird Group.
The Hummingbird Group would like to categorically state that:
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We are 100% operational;
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We do experience occasional cash flow challenges, and have the normal operational challenges that affect all South African businesses when it comes to securing payment from clients, from both public and private sector clients/funders.
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Notwithstanding the incredibly high costs of doing business in the film and television industry; recent delayed payments to the Hummingbird Group have resulted in cash flow management processes being implemented to ensure that there is business liquidity;
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To manage cash flow challenges we have taken steps to downsize our operations over the past few months. Steps have included scaling back on staff, performance reviews for non-performing staff and an imminent move to smaller offices; these are standard business practices when faced with persistent cash flow challenges and non-payment from clients/funders;
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I am currently travelling in Europe to have meetings ahead of MIPCOM[i]; an event which I have attended annually without fail over the past five years; and which I will be attending again this year, as planned. I am returning to South Africa after MIPCOM; I have not fled the country, and all outstanding payments will be honoured in accordance with agreements already in place with staff and service providers;
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No funds have been stolen from the DTI, as alleged by the campaigners.
This campaign could endanger Hummingbird Group, which has a proud, eight year history of service and delivery to our vast number of clients and to the film and television industry in South Africa.It can impact on the good work we do, the projects we run and the people we employ.
Our attorneys and the appropriate authorities are presently dealing with these issues.
It is my duty, as Hummingbird Group’s Managing Director, to take its mission forward with integrity, honesty, accountability and transparency.
I take this responsibility very seriously, with the best interests of the organisation and the industry at heart – to this end we are pursuing a legal route and the investigation into this matter is ongoing, and will take its course. We will update all stakeholders accordingly.
ENDS.
For more information, please contact:
Bridget Scarr
Managing Director
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NOTE TO THE EDITOR: ABOUT HUMMINGBIRD GROUP
Hummingbird Media Investments, trading as the Hummingbird Group, focuses on investments in film, television, and entertainment. Hummingbird currently consists of 5 companies. Pollen and Hey!Fever provide a range of creative content and production services. Apiary focuses on the opportunities from digital content. Hive and Brave develop unique IP (intellectual property) strong brand driven content which can live across platforms. The Hummingbird Group provides management and support at every step of the content creation pipeline, from creative development through to financing and financial engineering to physical production. With an eye on training & enterprise development, the group fosters innovation and social change in specialist creative media companies.
[i] MIPCOM takes place 5-8 October 2015, Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France. http://www.mipcom.com/
30 September 2015