by Thinus Ferreira
A blunt, abrupt ending to 7de Laan with
no proper conclusion – as well as even fewer episodes to the end – is what
waits for SABC2 viewers if the SABC doesn't very quickly find the money to pay
Danie Odendaal Productions to resume filming of the remainder of the soap's
episodes.
After the SABC cancelled the
long-running Afrikaans soap on SABC2 in July, the production worked to complete the
remainder of the final season's episode order but was forced to abruptly shut
down production on Monday – two months before the supposed final day of filming
on 24 October – after the SABC failed to pay the show what it's owed.
The SABC owed Danie Odendaal
Productions a massive amount of money, as well as other production companies
doing local shows for the public broadcaster.
The SABC on Monday in a statement
admitted that it owes Danie Odendaal Productions money but is unable to pay and unable to say when it will be able to pay due to the broadcaster's massive
financial troubles.
The SABC has not yet published its
2022/2023 financial report but is set to again declare another huge loss, this
time in excess of R1 billion.
The broadcaster is once again trying to do
various "payment arrangements" with various suppliers, including
production companies who the SABC have contracts with to deliver content in
return for payment.
The SABC only contracted Danie Odendaal
Productions to produce 7de Laan episodes until 24 October, which is supposed to
keep 7de Laan on the air with original episodes until 26 December.
The
production company in turn contracted the crew and cast until 24 October, with
45 episodes which remain to be filmed.
Since work stopped, it's becoming a
growing danger that SABC2 will no longer get 45 completed episodes from Danie
Odendaal Productions since the time doesn't exist to produce this number of
episodes in the available production schedule days which are fast running out.
In addition, the current 7de Laan cast
and crew won't be available after October since they've accepted work on other
shows and productions, so even if the SABC pays later, the show's talent in
front of the camera and behind the scenes won't exist and be available to film
episodes in November.
The SABC will also have to struck the
sets like Oppiekoffie and the other Hillside sets at Sasani Studios in the
final days of October and take it elsewhere where it wants to store it – any
days over and the broadcaster, which owns all of the sets, props and wardrobe,
will have to pay additional rent to Sasani to house property that's no longer
being used.
The SABC only paid Danie Odendaal
Productions for its June invoice on 1 September with a lot of money still owed
and outstanding.
Danie Odendaal Productions told TVwithThinus on Tuesday in response to a media query that it hasn't yet heard anything from
the SABC after production on 7de Laan ceased on Monday due to non-payment.
"There been no further
developments or response from the SABC," the production said on Tuesday
morning.
