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Johannesburg - SABC2 soapie 7de Laan’s cameras will stop rolling on Friday if the SABC does not renew the producer’s contract by then, City Press reported.
The actors and technical team were informed of this by letter this week.
“The reality is we can’t offer an account for recorded programmes to the SABC if we do not have a signed contract. Danie Odendaal Productions does not have the cash reserves to continue indefinitely,” the letter reads.
The production house does, however, have a verbal undertaking from the SABC that their contract will be renewed.
Just an administrative delay?
7de Laan spokesperson Libby Nel said: “I believe it is only an administrative delay at the channel. 7de Laan is one of the most successful programmes on SABC2 and I can think of no other reason the contract hasn’t yet been renewed.”
A senior 7de Laan actor said yesterday that most of the personnel were shocked by the news. “Some burst out laughing and others were very nervous.”
Another said that the show’s team is used to the yearly struggle to get the contract signed and that is why everyone is hopeful that it will happen in the end.
Asked if the cameras will really stop rolling on Friday, an employee said: “If that’s what Danie said in the memo, then he means it.”
No problems at the SABC
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said there are no contractual problems.
It is well known that SABC contractors feel frustrated at times by instructions that are changed at the last minute, and payments and contracts that are delayed.
All the 7de Laan staff were recently on leave.
According to one person in the know, the week-long August leave is a given because the producers expect to have problems with contracts each August.
An insider says 7de Laan is an expensive production. Its budget was cut last year, with the consequence that many staff earned no increases last year.
7de Laan has more than 2 million viewers and is now in its 14th year.
The actors and technical team were informed of this by letter this week.
“The reality is we can’t offer an account for recorded programmes to the SABC if we do not have a signed contract. Danie Odendaal Productions does not have the cash reserves to continue indefinitely,” the letter reads.
The production house does, however, have a verbal undertaking from the SABC that their contract will be renewed.
Just an administrative delay?
7de Laan spokesperson Libby Nel said: “I believe it is only an administrative delay at the channel. 7de Laan is one of the most successful programmes on SABC2 and I can think of no other reason the contract hasn’t yet been renewed.”
A senior 7de Laan actor said yesterday that most of the personnel were shocked by the news. “Some burst out laughing and others were very nervous.”
Another said that the show’s team is used to the yearly struggle to get the contract signed and that is why everyone is hopeful that it will happen in the end.
Asked if the cameras will really stop rolling on Friday, an employee said: “If that’s what Danie said in the memo, then he means it.”
No problems at the SABC
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said there are no contractual problems.
It is well known that SABC contractors feel frustrated at times by instructions that are changed at the last minute, and payments and contracts that are delayed.
All the 7de Laan staff were recently on leave.
According to one person in the know, the week-long August leave is a given because the producers expect to have problems with contracts each August.
An insider says 7de Laan is an expensive production. Its budget was cut last year, with the consequence that many staff earned no increases last year.
7de Laan has more than 2 million viewers and is now in its 14th year.
