7de Laan is the next big SABC TV soap after Generations getting a new head writer; the SABC2 weekday soap is looking to appoint a new head writer as well as a new creative director to help steer the soap in a new direction.
With SABC1's Generations off the air and embroiled in turmoil behind the scenes the last two months, head writer and co-producer Bongi Ndaba also quit last month.
It means that two of the SABC's and South Africa's biggest TV soaps will see new story lines from new writers on-screen from early in 2015, with SABC3's Isidingo which similarly underwent several writing staff changes this year, most notably Rohan Dickson who took over as new head writer.
The SABC in August ordered 7de Laan's Danie Odendaal Productions to do on-screen as well as behind-the-scenes changes with the 14-year old predominantly Afrikaans language soap which according to SABC executives is apparently too Afrikaans and not multicultural enough.
The soap apparently has to decrease the percentage of spoken Afrikaans according to reports, appoint more "non-white" actors to appear on screen in the soap who will not be speaking Afrikaans while subtitles will remain in English, appoint more "black" crew and creative staff, as well as a "black" consultant to advise on story lines.
Now 7de Laan is searching for a new head writer who has to be "an articulate, ambitious and bright individual" to join the show's production department as well as a creative director.
7de Laan's new head writer will have to developing new story lines together with the story liners and break them down into episodes, supervise the script treatments and brief writers and finalise and approve scripts before recording.
The creative director will oversee the technical execution of the soap, approve the look and feel of 7de Laan's new sets and lead the visual creative direction for all directors.
People who want to apply can send applications to Frances Maphosa at francesj@sewendelaan.co.za by 10 October.
