Whose not getting it on in 7de Laan?

Being in the States has me missing South Africa. The ocean, the mountain, the people and the soapies. Yes, the soapies and it got me thinking about something that struck me awhile back when I was still in SA. I thought about 7de Laan and how for some reason unless you’re past the point of childbearing age, like Felicity and Herman, you can forget about being in an interracial relationship! You are allowed to be friends, best friends in fact. You can be social equals,  BUT no matter how much you may have in common the writers have decided that it simply isn’t going to happen.

Now, I know it’s a soapie and expecting realism maybe my fault. However, I am wondering if 7de Laan’s audience really wouldn’t be able to handle some black on white action. Or even some black on coloured action. I am not picky. It just amazes me that 20yrs into democracy where interracial relations are no longer illegal and is a fact of life(which it was even when it was illegal). Like I was saying I probably have way too many unrealistic expectations of a show that has to have a fashion show every few months and where the inhabitants always seem to find the weirdest things hilarious.

I guess what bothers me is that I get the feeling it is something that is being avoided. It’s like  7de Laan exists in some sort of idealised bubble of the “new south Africa”. Yes, black people and coloured people exist - first fact. They are also successful, funny and as interesting and as complicated as a 7de Laan character can be - second fact. All races have sexual desires and will therefore be attracted to each other regardless of skin colour - third fa... Oh, no, sorry that’s NOT a fact on 7de Laan, because for some mysterious reason none of these races ever find each other sexually attractive. I just can’t believe it! Are you telling me there isn’t even a little fling or people making out when they get drunk? Not even a little bumping and grinding at that club they always go to? On the surface the idea of freedom and equality exists, but no white women is allowed to have a black penis inside her.

I realise I am picking on one show. I know that were I to look at the array of South African soapies there would probably be endless amounts of things I could write about race and what it says about South Africa and feel free to do that yourself. As much as I often chide the show in my mind for its ridiculous storylines and then rehashing those storylines, it does have some redeeming qualities. There are interesting characters and some strong female ones like Charmaine and Gita. There have also been very well written and intriguing storylines. And I do believe that the actors are good and that the show could do so much more with what it has. I’m the silly one though for expecting more from a show that doesn’t profess to be something it is not. 

An example to us all