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• Iconic Afrikaans weekday soapie 7de Laan has been cancelled.
• The show will end after season 24, with the last episode aired on 26 December.
• “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”, says Thandi Ramathesele, 7de Laan executive producer.

After 23 years on air, SABC 2 and Danie Odendaal Productions announced Monday that the long-running popular soapie 7de Laan will end after season 24.

The last episode will poignantly be aired on the day after Christmas – 26 December 2023.

The SABC didn’t provide any reason for the show’s cancellation, but in response to a media query, tells News24 that “7de Laan will not be recommissioned for another season when season 24 comes to an end in December 2023″.

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 Melville in Johannesburg, the show spawned roadshows and cookbooks over the past two decades as South Africans started quoting some of the characters’ sayings, like Oubaas’ malapropisms.

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.

She adds:

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.”

According to insiders, the cast and crew were sad to be told about the show’s cancellation. However, 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 – for the past few months.

-News24