7de Laan actors and crew shocked and saddened over the death of the soap's theme song composer, Louis van Rensburg.

The actors and cast of 7de Laan on SABC2 are shocked and saddened over the sudden death of musician Louis van Rensburg (68) who was the composer of the well-known theme song of the SABC2 soap as well as all of the background mood music for the soap's almost 3 000 episodes.

Louis van Rensburg died yesterday after contracting a lung infection last month. His condition deteriorated the past few weeks in hospital.

He became known after scoring the theme and show music for the 80's TV1 drama Ballade vir 'n Enkeling.

''Louis' passing leaves an enormous void, not only as the soap's composer, but also in the heart of every 7de Laner," says 7de Laan producers Danie Odendaal and Annie Basson in a statement.

"Louis never chose the easy way out and often toiled long hours, days and weeks to write music that's spot-on for a specific storyline," the statement reads. "It also took a lot of blood, sweat and tears before we agreed over the right theme music for 7de Laan," says Danie Odendaal. "But it was all worth it, because today it is among his big successes - even dogs and babies react to it!"