"Generations" co-producer Friedrich Stark has passed away, according to reports. According to Eyewitness News (EWN), he died on Christmas Day at his apartment in Cape Town. He was 62.
Stark was also a producer of the Afrikaans TV soapie "Binnelanders".
The sitcom's storyline writer, Elsabe Roux, also died at the weekend, reported EWN.
His wife of 36 years, Elsje Stark, told EWN that he may have died from a heart attack or stroke.
"Generations" runs on SABC1 and is the longest-running locally produced soap drama, according to the SABC.
The "Generations" team said in a statement that Stark had been a well-known actor in his youth who went on to work for SABC in the 1970s.
"When he left the SABC in 1985 he and his wife Elsje started Stark Films, a television programme production company best known for the co-production of the daily drama 'Generations' (with MMSV Productions) for SABC1 since 1994, and the production of 'Binnelanders', produced for MNET and later KykNet since 2005," said Generations.
"Friedrich was an industry pioneer and active leader in the local television production industry and played a prominent role in the Independent Producers Organisation. He will be remembered for his entrepreneurship, vision and ability to inspire and lead."