TV personality and funnyman Tats Nkonzo turned the Savanna Comic Awards after-party into a not-so-funny episode when he allegedly refused to pay for booze.

The drama unfolded in the wee hours of Sunday morning at Gold Reef City Casino's Barnyard Theatre.

Theatre manager Dewald Wessels, his two assistants, bouncers and security personnel were called in to force Nkonzo to fork out money for the dop he drank without permission.

Wessels confirmed that Nkonzo and his partner helped themselves to a bottle of vodka at the bar counter, filling their glasses and dashing it with coke, all under the glare of CCTV cameras.

Nkonzo could not be reached on the phone as it was constantly on voicemail. He advises callers not to leave voice messages because he does not listen to them. He asks callers to send him texts. He failed to respond to the texts sent to him.

Wessels said: "This guy, they called him Tats and they say he is a comedian, was caught on camera with his companion helping themselves by emptying a bottle of vodka.

"The cameras show them filling their glasses and topping them with coke. I approached them on the dance floor. We asked them nicely to come with us, so we can speak privately but they refused.

"The lady's response was, 'I don't even drink vodka'. They insisted they didn't do anything. We informed them about the cameras and gave them a bill of R480 after running the bottle on the system.

"There was also a younger lady, who was not involved but approached me and asked, 'Do you know who this is?', pointing [to] the comedian guy. I just ignored her."

Wessels said after a lengthy squabble Nkonzo admitted to taking alcohol from the counter and drinking it without paying for it but said he did not drink the full bottle.

The theatre manager said he warned Nkonzo and his companion that they must pay up or else he would call outside security and the police and they would be charged with unlawful removal of an item.

"We really didn't want to involve the police. Later, at about 2am, we agree that they should pay for eight shots [tots].

"A new bill was issued but he continued arguing with our staff before paying," said Wessels.