7de Laan

There is never a dull moment and always someone to wonder about, talk about and cry about! 7de Laan is suitable for any age, and it isn't a copy of Days of our life's, Bold and the Beautiful or any other soap.

It is based on ordinary people, and ordinary days. There is a rich family, a troubled family, couples with normal problems. It is truly SOUTH African, with a lot of laughs, tears, suspension. With very talented actors.

There is a reason why this successful show has been airing 5 days a week since 2000!!! This is how the show came about : Once upon a time Danie Odendaal (the creator) sat in a Melville coffee shop waiting for a friend to join him for breakfast. His friend was running late and, having nothing to do he whiled away the time by looking at the people around him.

A funky young waitress in a micro mini was ignoring her customers and flirting with her boyfriend on the phone. The stern manageress was about to confront her when a formidable lady walked in as though she owned the place. The manageress quickly escorted her to the nicest table available, and then they started chatting like old friends about their children.

Through the window of the coffee shop he saw a young girl and her friend come out of a dress shop, arms laden with bags. They were soon met by a young guy in a chef's jacket, who'd been eyeing them from the corner bakery. You could hear their giggles and laughs in the coffee shop.

Across the way from Danie sat a spinster in a floral dress with a scarf around her neck, eating a slice of anchovy toast, ad writing a shopping list. The waiter serving her addressed her by name, she was obviously a regular and familiar face.

Danie began to make up stories around each person he saw. Imagine if the formidable lady went home tonight to find out her young son was engaged to the girl she was hoping was just a fling, what if that guy the waitress is talking to is just one of many guys she keeps on string. And what about the spinster in the scarf? Maybe she is writing up a list of ingredients she needs for a banana loaf she plans to make for her boss. The only trouble is, she's a terrible cook! And so began the idea of 7de Laan… Since episode one was screened on SABC 2 in April 2000, there have been many reasons to make 7de Laan our favourite soap. Wonderful moments on screen that made us smile, giggle, chuckle and even laugh out loud. Unforgettable moments where we were glued to our seats and we raced home to make sure we did not miss what happened next. Romantic moments which gave us goose bumps and then of course, the moments that made us cry.

Even though some of the residents come and go, there can be little doubt that Hillside is everyone's favourite community and when that familiar tune starts to play we'll all be glued to our television screens for endless hours to come!