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After 23 years on air, SABC 2 and Danie Odendaal Productions announced Monday that the long-running popular soapie 7de Laan will end after season 24.
The last episode will poignantly be aired on the day after Christmas – 26 December 2023.
The SABC did not give a cause for the cancellation, but in answer to a media question, says News24 that “7de Laan will not be recommissioned for another season when season 24 concludes in December 2023.”
7de Laan premiered on 4 April 2000, starting with one episode per week before expanding to five days per week, making various performers and their characters that inhabited the fictional Hillside area in Johannesburg household names.
Over the following two decades, the program has generated roadshows and cookbooks as South Africans began imitating some of the characters’ sayings, such as Oubaas’ malapropisms, as a stand-in for the varied real-life Melville in Johannesburg.
“The SABC is proud to have worked with Danie Odendaal Productions and been part of the journey leading and producing the best Afrikaans soapie on local television for SABC 2,” says Lala Tuku, SABC head of programming for video entertainment. Millions of South Africans have been touched by 7de Laan.
She adds:
“After more than two decades on air, the award-winning 7de Laan leaves a lasting imprint on the SA television landscape. SABC wishes all the dedicated and talented cast and crew of 7de Laan all the best in their future endeavours”.
Thandi Ramathesele, 7de Laan executive producer, says, “It has been an honour and privilege to produce a show that has touched the lives of so many South Africans for over two decades. As we come to the end of this chapter, we express our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated cast and crew who have poured their talent and passion into bringing the show to life.”
“We also extend our deepest appreciation to the viewers and fans whose unwavering support has been the driving force behind our success. It is bittersweet to say goodbye, but we are filled with pride for the impact that 7de Laan has had on our society; addressing important social issues and fostering inclusively, the show has made its mark on South African television.”
According to insiders, the cast and crew were sad to be told about the show’s cancellation. However, it didn’t come as a complete surprise since the SABC has been having financial problems and negotiations with Danie Odendaal Productions – as with various other production companies over local shows – for the past few months.
