After 19 years of playing the much-loved Charmaine Meintjies (née Beukes, for those who tuned in from day one), Vinette Ebrahim will gracefully bow out from 7de Laan, something that has left fans quite sad.

The 62-year-old actress has gone through every up and down as Charmaine on the SABC2 Afrikaans soapie and the news of her exit didn't sit well with many of her core fans.

In a statement sent to TshisaLIVE from Danie Odendaal Productions, they explained the decision to remove Charmaine and her twin, Vivian, from the storylines after nearly two decades.

"In 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," read the statement. "The time has, however, come for her to bow out with grace and flair."

Even though fans will get to see Charmaine until late October, her exit hurts more as it follows on the heels of that of another favourite, Hilda (played by Annelisa Weiland).

The statement added that they were grateful for the years Vinette had given to the show and that her character remains one of the most loved by fans.

"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."