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I can exclusively break the shocking news that ''South Africa's most popular TV soap'' 3 years running as chosen by viewers - 7de Laan on SABC2 - will unceremoniously get dumped as a choice and deleted as a contender by the National Film and Video Foundation's (NFVF) for the upcoming South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) set to take place on 10 March.
I can reveal that 7de Laan, produced by Danie Odendaal Productions, has suddenly been dropped as an option in the Best Soap category - a category for which soaps don't have to and can't enter, and which is determined through a popular viewers' vote. All the other local South African soaps will still appear in the category when the full 6th Saftas nominees list is announced tomorrow evening. Just not 7de Laan effectively shut out of the Saftas for the prize to win.
While viewers will get to choose Generations (SABC1), The Wild (M-Net), Muvhango (SABC2), Isidingo (SABC3), Rhythm City (e.tv) or Scandal! (e.tv), the Saftas has banished 7de Laan by leaving it out as an option.
7de Laan won in 2009 as Best Soap at the 3rd Saftas, won again in 2010 as Best Soap at the 4th Saftas, and won in 2011 at the 5th Saftas again for Best Soap as voted for by viewers. The cast and crew of 7de Laan however boycotted the Saftas last year after a massive mess and voting fiasco with the wrong SMS number for the soap.
Generations previously also had a major falling out with the awards ceremony purported to praise the best of South African television and film, but often come in for criticism regarding the judging process as well as dubiously shoddy productions values.
With the incomplete list, insiders now say the ommission of 7de Laan which could have won again as most popular but won't get the chance since viewers won't be able to vote for the show, is further proof of the ongoing credibility problem of the Saftas.
Behind the scenes drama also erupted earlier this month when the 6th Saftas, scheduled for 10 and 11 March, had to be moved a day earlier to 9 and 10 for the non-fiction and fiction ceremonies.
SABC3, which will tomorrow officially be announced as the broadcasting partner - news I exclusively broke last month RIGHT HERE already (after the event - due to a lack of timeous organisation wasn't broadcast last year) will have to move its Saftas broadcast to 10 March to keep it a live broadcast or now go with a recorded broadcast if kept on 11 March where it was originally scheduled.
This year's 2012 Saftas drew a record number of 233 entries. The Saftas is often derided by TV and film critics who are shut out from actually judging the award categories. Instead the Saftas winners are decided upon by 104 so-called ''judges'' who works within the TV industry and who are previous winners. According to Saftas critics, this represent a conflict of interest.
I asked the NFVF and Saftas why 7de Laan is suddenly being dropped as a contender from the Best Soap category which will make the soap ineligible to be voted for by viewers after winning the public vote and coming out tops the past 3 years.
''7de Laan didn't submit any entries for the Saftas this year, that is why they are not eligible to be in the Best Soapie category,'' says the NFVF.
I asked 7de Laan and Danie Odendaal Productions what the soap is making of this shocking development and of being left out in the cold. ''We did not submit entries for the Saftas this year because we have reservations about the selection process,'' Colin Howard, 7de Laan's line producer tells me.
''We were unaware of the fact that we wouldn't be eligible for the Most Popular Soap category if we didn't submit entries in the other categories. As a South African soap, we thought we would be entered into that category automatically.''
I asked, am I'm also waiting for an official response from SABC2 who was also stunned when I told the channel the news.
ALSO READ: Nominees for the 6th South African Film and Television Awards.
ALSO READ: 7de Laan slams the South African Film and Television Awards: ''Disappointed'' at being excluded from Best Soap category.
ALSO READ: 7de Laan's Vinette Ebrahim slams the Saftas after the SABC2 soap gets excluded from the popular vote Best Soap category this year.
