"7de Laan" actress Vinette Ebrahim is leaving the hit soapie and saying goodbye to Hillside after playing Charmaine for 19 years.
In a statement released by Danie Odendaal Productions, executive producer Danie Odendaal said: "It is with great sadness that 7de Laan says goodbye to Charmaine Meintjies and her troublesome identical twin sister Vivian – portrayed by the talented Vinette Ebrahim.
"Charmaine is a character deeply invested in family values, friendship and service to others. Her personal and familial dynamics, challenges and family issues have kept South Africans entertained for over 19 years. The time has, however, come for her to bow out with grace and flair", said Odendaal.
He further added that in a long-running television series it often happens that a character’s journey comes to an end. "After evaluating past and current storylines of 7de Laan, it has transpired that all potential stories around Charmaine and Vivian have been exhausted."
Although she is known primarily for her role as Charmaine, Ebrahim has also written plays, including "Die Ongelooflike Reis van Max en Lola", a two-character work she co-wrote with South African playwright and director Hugo Taljaard.
Ebrahim based the play in part on her long-time friendship with Chris van Niekerk. The play explores how the friendship between a gay white man and a coloured woman persisted during the Apartheid era.
Ebrahim has said that during the Apartheid era, Van Niekerk would attend one cinema, while she attended another, and "then we'd come together and act stukkies (scenes) out.
Viewers can expect to see Ebrahim's characters on air until 24 October 2019.