Popular theatre production Sarafina! has downed tools due to actors not being paid, according to The Sowetan.
The theatre remake of Mbongeni Ngema's hit musical opened in February.
Three buses of school pupils arrived to watch the production at the State Theatre in Pretoria on Wednesday to discover that the show was cancelled as the actors had gone on strike.
A teacher told The Sowetan: "We got here at 11am for our first show for the learners, but when we got here we were told there is no show because actors are on strike because Mbongeni Ngema [the musical's director] didn't pay them. The actors and actresses were busy pacing up and down here as we waited for the theatre manager to address us. I saw Noxolo [Dlamini, the lead actress] a few times at the theatre."
The pupils reportedly stayed at the theatre for three hours hoping that the show would continue.
State Theatre CEO Sibongiseni Mkhize said the pupils would be refunded.
"We have been informed that the problems have arisen because of the delays in payment and reporting between committed artists and the national Department of Arts and Culture (DAC).
"We will continuously monitor the ongoing discussions between DAC and committed artists," she said.