by Thinus Ferreira
I learnt this morning that the Afrikaans soap 7de Laan from Danie Odendaal Productions on SABC2 is heading to the TV cul-de-sac, with the South African public broadcaster which has decided to cancel the long-running series on SABC2 after 23 years on the air.
7de Laan will end at the end of season 24, with the last episode which will poignantly be aired on the day after Christmas - 26 December 2023.
The SABC didn't immediately respond to a media query on Monday morning asking about confirmation that 7de Laan has been axed, but according to insiders the cast and crew were told on Monday morning that the show is over.
The SABC didn’t provide any reason
for the show’s cancellation but in response to a media query on Monday afternoon told me that "7de Laan will not be recommissioned for another season
when season 24 comes to an end in December 2023".
Lala Tuku, SABC head of content for video entertainment,
says "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".
"7de
Laan has penetrated the hearts of millions of South Africans. With iconic
characters over the years, that still hold a place in the viewers' hearts,
powerful storylines crafted by a talented writing team engaged the audience on
relevant topics."
"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 on 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."
While 7de Laan ratings and audience share are far down from what it used to get years ago, the show's viewership - although down - has been relatively stable the last few years and hasn't sagged more than other long-running shows on SABC2 like Muvhango which is also slowly eroding.
7de Laan had 1 191 198 viewers in June on SABC2 and a 14 audience share (14% of all TV switched on at 18:00 was tuned to SABC2) as the channel's second-most watched show for the month after Muvhango, slightly up from its May rating of 987 682 viewers.
Insiders told me that 7de Laan getting the axe is part of the broadcaster's overall larger new cash crunch, with the SABC which also recently cancelled SABC3's Isidingo-replacement The Estate from Clive Morris Productions.
"These are expensive shows. The SABC calls us and apologises but in the same breath says it just can't do these type of shows anymore". The broadcaster is set to announce yet another annual financial loss very soon for its 2022/2023 financial year which will surpass R1 billion.
7de Laan was first broadcast on 4 April 2000 - initially with only one episode a week before it grew to five days a week - making household names of numerous actors and their characters who inhabited the fictional Hillside suburb in Johannesburg.
Created as a stand-in for the eclectic real-life Mellville in Johannesburg, the show over the past two decades spawned roadshows and cookbooks as South Africans started quoting some of the character's saying like Oubaas' malapropisms.
According to insiders the cast and crew were sad to be told about the show's cancellation although 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 - has been ongoing the past few months.
