Many screen couples have broken up, but none can compare to what could be the biggest split in South African television history.
Septimus "Oubaas" Van Zyl (Pierre van Pletzen) broke up with Hilda de Kock (Annelise Weiland) in Thursday night's episode of 7de Laan and no one was never ready for it. Even those who had not watched the show were shattered at the news of the pair going their separate ways.
Oubaas left Hilda. Love is dead #7deLaanpic.twitter.com/6ez2lpBC67
— MECAYLA (@Mecayla13) August 24, 2017
The couple has grown on soapie fans over the years with their comical take on romance. However their relationship took a bitter turn when Oubaas' mother came to town to claim his son.
In an emotional break up scene, Hilda realises that Oubaas has chosen his mother over her. She finds a note from Oubaas saying he could not forsake his mother and has decided to leave Hillside.
Earlier on this year, the producers of the weekday Afrikaans soap told Channel24 that the character of Septimus van Zyl, (Oubaas) would being written out of the show. The veteran actor, director and musician is one of the original actors and characters who has been with the soap since its inception in 2000.
The Herald reported that Van Platzen's decision to leave the production was because of the change in management.
"The new management had the writers and storyliners write stories for me and Hilda [his character's wife] that were boring and repetitive," he complained.
He added:"It became a situation of the bad leading the bad‚ and the bad telling the other bad that they're actually not bad. They fell into a dwindling spiral that was hard to observe and be part of."
Despite this his said he would miss the cast and crew‚ with whom he had made many memories.