3 Lessons Make-Up Guru Muzi Got From The Bonang Payment Saga

The make-up artist went public over a six-month unpaid-fee wrangle with the TV presenter, and says his experience can help other industry professionals.
Muzi Zuma.
Muzi Zuma.
MuziZuma/Instagram

Make-up artist to the stars Muzi Zuma will be putting away his brushes and contour kit for now, thanks to his recent experience with TV presenter Bonang Matheba.

Muzi made headlines this week when he revealed that Bonang had not paid him R25,000 for work he'd done in July 2017.

A follower asked Zuma through Curious Cat (a website that allows users to ask questions anonymously) whether he and Matheba were still cool. To which he responded: "No", citing the outstanding bill as the reason.

Speaking to HuffPost, Muzi said his spirit was broken and he needs a break to detox.

"It's not just the money thing. It's the experience I've had leading up to me speaking out that made me come to the decision," he said.

Matheba's former manager at DNA Brand Architects, Sylvester Chauke, has since settled the R25,000 bill out of his own pocket, saying he hates seeing black entrepreneurs struggle to get remunerated.

Muzi said he wants fellow make-up artists to take three lessons from his experience:

1. Work for money and nothing else

"Don't ever agree to do a celebrity's make-up in exchange for Instagram posts. You must always charge for your services and treat yourself as a brand. You are an artist."

2. Speak up for yourself

"It always works in your favour to ask for 50 percent deposit as a confirmation of a booking, but on the day, always ask for the balance even before you open your kit. You may be labelled [hard-boiled], but it's necessary. At times people will promise to send payment [later, because they have] a red-carpet rush or a call time on set, but be about your money."

3. Take a look at me

"Here's the thing – I have put my story out there not for fame or attention, but for upcoming make-up artists to know what to look out for when getting into this space. Take that and learn. If there are things you feel I should have handled better in this matter, take it as a note-to-self – and avoid the mistakes yourself."

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