The Mystery Woman
A very well dressed, beautiful, sophisticated woman arrived at the airport, hailed a cab and was dropped off in 7de Laan. I’m not exactly sure who or what she was looking for but it was dark and the street was deserted. A shady looking character was lurking around watching the woman when suddenly he attacked her, hit her over the head, grabbed all her belongings which included a gun and ran off.
When she came to, her forehead was covered in blood where the man had hit her but she managed to get up and make her way to the nearest place where a light was burning. That place happened to be T&T where JH was busy finishing off work before meeting Dezi. The lady came stumbling in and collapsed right there and then in JH’s arms.
JH is anxiously waiting for the paramedics to arrive and when they eventually do, the mystery woman is taken to the clinic.
The next day everyone hears about what happened and the resident gossip queen Zinzi was in her element exaggerating the story as usual even going so far as to suggest the woman was JH’s secret lover, imagine that.
JH is very concerned about his mystery lady of the night and he goes to check up on her but the nurse says nobody has reported a woman missing and they have no clue who she might be.
Now this could make for a very interesting storyline. There are so many angles this story could take and I’m keen to see what 7de Laan is gonna come up with. The question is, who is this woman, why was she carrying a gun and what was she doing in 7de Laan?
Put your pride in your pocket, Vanessa
The day after Charville’s wedding, Hilda organized a farewell dinner for the two where she invited everyone to see them off 7de Laan style. Unfortunately or is that fortunately, Xander and Vanessa failed to see their parents off although Xander is at least on speaking terms with his dad who begged him to speak to Vanessa and convince her to make peace with her mom. Well you know how stubborn Vanessa can be and once again she allowed pride to get in the way of her relationship with her mom. Does she really expect her mother to come to her? So off Neville and Charmaine went on their honeymoon to New York and hopefully when Charmaine gets back, things will return to normal with her selfish daughter.
Meanwhile Paula took it upon herself to organize a housewarming for Xander and Vanessa so that they are welcomed back into the fold. All their friends pitched and had a good party making Xander and Vanessa feel welcome again.
Brandt van den Bergh – Acting Hillside Editor
Brandt and Paula
Before Nellie left for NY, he had placed an ad on the internet for somebody to act as the Hillside editor while he’s away. A man by the name of Brandt van den Bergh played by Steve Hofmeyer gave Nellie a call in answer to the ad, he gave his references and when Nellie checked it out, Brandt answered the call pretending to be the previous employer. Nellie seemed impressed by what he heard and phoned Brandt back to tell him he got the job.
The way in which Brandt came across immediately alerted us to the fact that he was a dubious character. What surprised me though is the casual way that Nellie hired the guy without thoroughly checking him out and to make matters worse, he sends Paula off to meet with the guy and show him around. Has marriage made Nellie go all soft in the head or is his mind too much on his upcoming honeymoon, well whatever Paula angrily makes her way to the offices to meet with the “fat bellied old geyser”.
Imagine her surprise when she does meet Brandt, there’s an immediate attraction from Paula’s side and she’s as meek as a lamb. There’s a certain dark devilish charm about Brandt and the next day when he meets the rest of his staff, it’s clear that they are impressed by him.
Brandt immediately makes it clear to his staff especially Paula that he’s the one in charge and that all orders comes from him. He makes life very difficult for Paula at first putting her on minor assignments like attending a cake decorating course and this upsets Paula. She asks Hilda to attend the course on her behalf but later Hilda reveals that she found the body language course far more interesting. Paula has no choice but to find other means of getting her article on written.
When she confronts Brandt about the way that he’s treating her, she calls him out on his inexcusable way of treating women in general. The two get into some serious flirting and before long, Brandt grabs Paula and kisses her passionately.
The next day Paula is dressed extra smart for work all to impress Brandt but Aggie tells her that he’s in a foul mood and does not want to be disturbed.
Later that evening when Paula arrives at the flat, she finds Brandt waiting for her and he breaks it to her that the kiss was very unprofessional on his part and that it will never happen again. This takes Paula by surprise and she seems very
disappointed.
Hilda has learnt quite a few interesting things when she attended the body language course and when she sees Paula and Brandt in Oppiekoffie talking, she’s disturbed by their body language. Later that night, she goes to Paula and tells her that she’s inlove with her boss and he feels the same. In a very comical moment, Hilda explains to Paula that the way that Brandt was standing like a cowboy emphasizing his manhood means that he has suggestive intentions with Paula and Paula is responding positively by flicking her hair and displaying open palms.
This surprises Paula and she’s put off but secretly pleased about Hilda’a assessment of the situation. The next day at the office she watches Brandt’s movements carefully whilst conversing with her and she quickly phones Hilda to explain to her what it all means. Paula is ecstatic that Brandt appears to be as into her as she is into him.
Brandt and Mandla
Mandla is working on a big story, one that will blow a hijacking syndicate wide open. Through constant tip offs from his buddy in the police, yeah I know both Mandla and Marko are quite chummy with the police folk and they are only too happy to supply information.
Nevertheless, it seems that hijackings which appear to be random are not at all. Apparently there’s a hierarchy involved with the big boss at the top, noboy knows who he/she is. The hijackings are carefully planned based on car, colour, model, etc and shady dealers score big when their hijackers provide them with the vehicles which they in turn sell for a hire amount to their clients.
All in all its a very shady business and Mandla was very excited about exposing the syndicate. His boss on the other hand was not as keen. Brandt was watching Mandla like a hawk and everytime Mandla wants to publish a story warning the readers then Brandt would throw a spanner in the works. He tells Mandla that they cannot print articles based on rumours, that Mandla had better be careful not to put himself at risk and he demands that Mandla keep him informed at all times about developments in the story. Meanwhile he goes to Mandla’s computer and checks his files relating to the syndicate strory.
Things come to a head when Mandla gets a tip off about 4x4 Geronimos which are on the list and he feels he wants to write an article but once again Brandt stops him and gives him another assignment. Meanwhile it would appear that Brandt is not who he said he was. In a few mystery phone calls, his real name is Gideon and he tells his mystery caller about Mandla’s developments in the hijack syndicate story.
The next evening when Kabelo and Marko are waiting to meet Vince at O’Malleys, Vince comes in and tells the guys he cannot meet with them because his friend's father was hijacked and shot dead. The man was driving a Geronimo. We see a somber looking Brandt sitting at a table listening to Vince.
The next evening when Brandt is sure that everyone has left for the day, he makes another mysterious phone call but unknown to him, Aggie has stepped in and is busy in the kitchen. When she emerges the only thing she overhears Brandt saying to his caller is “everyone here knows me as Brandt van den Bergh” while he gave the person his fax number to send some mystery document. I’m sure it’s not only what he said that had Aggie worried but the menacing way that he did.
Could Brandt/Gideon be the one behind the hijacking syndicate? What did the caller want him to do to Mandla? What will Aggie do with what she heard?
Matrone and her half sister, Ester Brink
Matrone was very excited about her memoirs being published and she urged Ryno to get in contact with his publisher but Ryno was very hesistant. He tried to get Matrone to drop the whole thing but Matrone could’nt understand what Ryno’s problem was. She confronted him and he was forced to tell her about the people who could get hurt by publishing her story.
He tells her what he found out about her father and the double life he lived having another wife and daughter. Needless to say, Matrone was shocked and highly upset and refused to believe what he was telling her.
Unable to ingnore the possibility of Ryno telling the truth Matrone once again approaches Ryno and demands he give her the complete manuscript. After reading it through, Matrone decides to contact her half sister Ester Brink from Burgersdorp.
Like Matrone, Ester saw her dad as her hero and when Matrone phoned her and made all these “false allegations” about her precious dad, Ester was livid. Matrone told her to forget she phoned but Ester could not let Ryno and Matrone drag her father’s name through the mud. She made her way to Hillside, confronted Ryno but he set her mind at ease telling her it was all a misunderstanding.
Matone is not her usual bubbly, bouncy self. This whole story about her dad has isolated her from everyone, she sits lonely and depressed in her flat thinking about her precious memories with her father. Karien and Mandla are very concerned about her and one day while they are speaking about her in Oppiekoffie, Ester overhears and asks Mandla about this Matrone person. He tells where she lives and that evening Ester makes her way to Matrone’s flat.
The two sisters finally come face to face but Ester is not letting Matrone steal the wonderful memories she has of her father away from her. She tells Matrone that she is Marius Voges’ only daughter and that Matrone and Ryno are in cahoots to try and destroy her father’s good name.
Just before she storms out of the flat, she sees Matrone’s dancing ballerina musical jewellery box. Bet she has one just like it.
Ester Brink is not willing to accept the truth about her dad yet she cannot ignore what has been revealed. Matrone invites her for supper so that the two can discuss their past as there are many unanswered questions they have for each other.
That night Ester shows Matrone a photo of herself on her 8th birthday with her dad and the exact same jewellery box he gave her for her birthday. Apparently Matrone was 10 when he gave it to her. Through their discussions it was revealed that Marius told Ester’s mother that he was working on an irrigation project down in the Eastern Cape and living at Tannie Lottie’s guesthouse. When he went away from Matrone’s family he was working at the Gariep Dam also living at the fictitious Tannie Lottie’s guesthouse.
No matter how many things in common they had, Ester was still not willing to trust Matrone and her story. Matrone tries to be nice and understanding towards her but in a confrontation in the Deli, Ester lashes out at Matrone calling her a crook who wants to get her hands on the farm, Ester’s inheritance. Matrone is appalled and disgusted that this woman dare call her a crook.
Will Ester eventually come to terms with the truth about her dad and will she and Matrone embrace each other as family?
Other Developments in the Laan
Madel is back from China and she was livid when she found out the truth about T&T nearly being declared bankrupt. She lashed out at JH for keeping her in the dark all this time and tells him that all his plans for the gym and selling of the semis will be put on ice until she has time to go through all the financial statements and to discuss everything with Notnagel.
JH is furious that his mother dare question his judgement and tells her that from now onwards she will handle everything and he will only do what he needs to do as part of his job. He tells Dezi that he’s on the lookout for other work. Poor Dezi on the other hand is trying her best to get the two to talk things through and to make peace but both JH and Madel are too stubborn and they just brush her off. The tension in the house has become unbearable and Felicity tells Madel that she will be moving to her own place very soon. Can’t really blame the girl!
Madel has managed to push all her children away from her. First Tiaan who has been banished from the kingdom and Christelle who escaped to Scotland and now JH who’s supposed to be her pillar of strength. Why is a old woman in any case so concerned about her business, yeah I know she started it from scratch but is it so important that she’s willing to push the only people that care about her away? What about her age, she’s not getting any younger and I feel that Madel should concern herself with drinking tea and playing bridge with the Grobblers, not running a company. Yes JH can be a real, immature pig but dammit I want to see that gym idea panning out.
As you all know Emma is in Spain writing a book about her traumatic ordeal. The actress Bertha le Roux has just had a baby and is on maternity leave. So imagine our shock and horror when Ryno receives a letter from Emma telling him she wants a divorce, just like that. Unable to get a hold of Emma to discuss her decision, Ryno makes arrangements to fly to Spain and talk things out with her. He leaves the Boekwinkel in Karien’s capable hands.
What does this mean, is Bertha’s character not returning to the soap at this stage? Why is Ryno so unlucky inlove? Will he and Karien perhaps get together since both their hearts have been broken and they’ve been rather buddy buddy lately.
Themba who was so crazy about Bee aka Aggie left the Laan rather suddenly. He received an offer from a firm in Cape Town and being angry with Aggie for her deception, he decided to take the job. He left both Alyce and Aggie high and dry when he just upped and left but he did at least say goodbye to each one of them.
Alyce eventually found out who the other woman was and confronted Aggie for stealing her man but as much as Aggie tried to explain the situation, Alyce refused to listen. After San Mari and Tessa convinced Alyce that it was a genuine love story between Aggie and Themba, did she give in and apologise to Aggie even bringing her a gift.
Alyce cannot comprehend why she’s suddenly lost her touch with men. Blind to what is right in front of her, Alyce does not see how Kabelo feels about her. The other guys convince him to make his move but Kabelo feels that Alyce is too stiff and uppity. At the club where Pieter Smit was performing, Alcye sees Kabelo and Zinzi dancing, having a fun time and for the first time she looks at Kabelo in a new light but unlucky for her, Kabelo has decided not to further pursue Alyce.
He tells the guys, he has other intentions now (not sure if he meant Zinzi but they did look cute dancing together) and that Alyce Morapedi will come crawling to him.
Speaking of Kabelo, he and Lukas have moved in at Vince’s place and are sharing the rent now that Xander is a married man living with his wife. The girls were so cute to throw them a surprise housewarming but the next day, the place is a mess. Maria to the rescue! She gives them her expensive rates (washing and ironing optional) but the boys are only too eager to have someone willing to clean their place.
The Boutique has received a huge publicity boost in the form of Miss South Africa, Megan Coleman. She and her sidekick visited the boutique in desperate need of Felicity to design her an outfit for a cocktail do with Donald Trump in America. She urgently needed the outfit to be completed within a day and Felicity, who seemed unsure of herself was encouraged by Karien and Tessa that if she could finish a wedding gown within 24 hours, then a cocktail dress is easy peasy.
When Marko laid his eyes on Megan, he was smitten and invited her for coffee even leaving his card with her. The other girls pulled him away and told him who she was and Marko was quite chuffed with himself for his superior quality in women.
Felicity eventually finished the dress and all of Oppiekoffie were excited to see what Megan looked like in the dress. When she eventually emerged from that godawful, embarrassing dressing room everyone was in awe of her beauty.
Me, not that impressed with the dress, not something that Miss SA would really wear, surely? Nevertheless as far as the story goes, this would be a huge scoop for the boutique and I’m hoping that they would step up their game and improve their look especially that dressing room.
Marko is settling in quite nicely at Bruynwaves and they’ve successfully being getting big contracts lately. Not sure if its Marko’s midas touch even though he has his own way of doing business but this time it might just land him in hot water. Altus has warned him against unprofessionalism when dealing with clients.
Marko has been flirting outrageously with an employee of one of the companies they were pitching for. She gave him the tip of pitching a hang gliding event and this successfully led to Bruynwaves getting the contract. Only thing is this woman gives me the creeps. Her lips barely move when she speaks and her voice sounds weird like it’s a dubbed voice. Nevertheless, at one of the lunch meetings, she sent Danny away and suggested Marko get a third quote at a hang gliding place her friend suggested. I’m not sure what it all means but it looked very suspicious.
I’m just hoping that Marko will not land himself and Bruynwaves in trouble by getting involved with this woman. Mixing business with pleasure can never be a good thing.
Back to the burning question, who do you think the mystery woman is and who’s name was written on that piece of paper she was holding in her hand?
Tune in to find out.
7de Laan
Mondays – Fridays
SABC 2
18:30