# Egoli: Place of Gold

Egoli: Place of Gold was a bilingual (English and Afrikaans) South African soap opera which first aired on M-Net on 6 April 1992. South African television's first daily soap opera, on 3 December 1999 Egoli became the first South African television programme in any genre to reach 2,000 episodes. As of 3 August 2007, 4,000 episodes had aired. Egoli: Place of Gold aired its final episode on 31 March 2010, after 18 years of acting from South African and international actors.
The series was set in Johannesburg. The city of Johannesburg is also known by its isiZulu name, "eGoli", which means "the place of gold". Egoli was created by Franz Marx. The show is known in Afrikaans as Egoli: Plek van Goud.
Egoli was "aimed at women of all nationalities between the ages of 25 and 45, with middle or upper incomes." The series aired Monday to Friday at 18:00. However, on from April 2009, M-Net moved Egoli to the 18:30 timeslot.
The series had a large following, and "Egoli Spectaculars" were held countrywide each year for fans of the series to meet the cast. These spectaculars offered publicity for the series but also raised money for charity.

## Cast members

| Actor | Character | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year | Seasons / Year |
| Actor | Character | 1 (1992) | 2 (1993) | 3 (1994) | 4 (1995) | 5 (1996) | 6 (1997) | 7 (1998) | 8 (1999) | 9 (2000) | 10 (2001) | 11 (2002) | 12 (2003) | 13 (2004) | 14 (2005) | 15 (2006) | 16 (2007) | 17 (2008) | 18 (2009) |
| Christine Basson [af] | Nora Roelofse Naudé | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Brümilda van Rensburg | Louwna Roelofse Vorster Edwards von Badenburg Edwards | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Shaleen Surtie-Richards | Ester "Nenna" Willemse | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Shaleen Surtie-Richards | Ruby Willemse | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hennie Smit [af] | Albertus "Bertie" Roelofse | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| David Rees (actor) | Niek Naudé | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Tiffany Kelly | Sonet Vorster Naudé | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Hannah Botha | Elsa du Plessis Pienaar | Guest | Guest | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | |
| David Vlok | Timothy "Tim" Herholdt Vorster | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | |
| Thoko Ntshinga | Donna Makaula | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | |
| Chantell Stander | Joanne Logan du Plessis | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chantell Stander | Kimberly Logan Vorster Schults Du Rand Edwards | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | |
| Ilse Roos [af] | Lynette Strydom Vorster Makropoulos Malan | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | | | |
| Deon Coetzee [af] | Deon du Plessis | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | | | | |
| Christel Smith | Tarien Naudé | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | Guest | | | | | | | |
| Esta TerBlanche | Beatrice "Bienkie" Naudé Hartman | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Christina Storm | Beatrice "Bienkie" Naudé Hartman | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Main | Main | Main |
| Gé Korsten | Walt Vorster | Main | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Phillip Moolman | André Vorster | Main | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jackie Davids | Margaret Rose "Margie" Willemse Brink | Main | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chris de Clerq [af] | Paul Brink | Main | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hermien Dommisse | Monika Vorster | Guest | Guest | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Charl Engelbrecht | Arno Fourie | Guest | Guest | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nthati Moshesh | Lerato Mashabela | | Guest | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Anrich Herbst [af] | Dewald Vorster | Guest | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Phillip Henn | Johan Vorster | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sandra Prinsloo | Cecile Roelofse Sinclair | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Kevin Smith | Andrew "Andy" Willemse | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eghard van der Hoven [af] | Stan Krige | Guest | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wilson Dunster | Alistair Milner-Smythe "Spider" | Guest | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Albert Maritz | Jimmy Smuts | Guest | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| David Butler | Brian Fletcher | Guest | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| James Whyle | Tom Sinclair | Main | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Steve Hofmeyr | Doug Du Rand / Otto Heimer | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cliff Simon | Gregory "Mitch" Mitchell | | Guest | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sorina Austin | Reneé | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mimi Coertse | Isabeau Vorster | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Paul Lückhoff [af] | Menasse | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Elize Cawood | Irma Raubenheimer | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gigi Strydom | Moira Krige | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Macks Papo | Tsheko Mashabela | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Catriona Andrew | Jane Edwards Vorster Schoeman | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | |
| Corine du Toit | Jane Edwards Vorster Schoeman | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Ernst Eloff | Buks Pienaar | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | |
| Nathan Gradwell | Zack Blackburn | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | | | | | | | |
| David Dukes | Johnney | | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eckard Rabe | Chris Edwards | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Darryl Desmarais | Stephen Edwards | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Celia Kemp Steyn | Angel | | | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chris Linford | Rex de Koning Von Badenburg | | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Darren Kelfkens | Joe Smith | | | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Lindie van Eeden | Karin Schoeman Edwards | | | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Dorette Potgieter | Susan Bosman | | | | | | Guest | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ebi Halberstadt | Braam Schoeman | | | | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Mandi Baard | Lara | | | | | | | | | | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Tamarin du Toit | Cat | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Main | Main | Main |
| Anton Fisher | Spike Roberts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Main | Main | Main | | |
International Guest stars:
* Joan Collins as Catherine Sinclair (Season 1)
* Jackie Collins
* Richard Steinmetz as Jeff Hartman (Season 2)
** James Horan
* Perry Stevens
* Samantha Fox
* Jerry Springer
* Helmut Lotti

## Seasons

| # | Episodes | Date Started | Date Finished |
| 1 | 260 | 6 April 1992 | 2 April 1993 |
| 2 | 259 | 5 April 1993 | 1 April 1994 |
| 3 | 260 | 4 April 1994 | 31 March 1995 |
| 4 | 260 | 3 April 1995 | 29 March 1996 |
| 5 | 260 | 1 April 1996 | 4 February 1997 |
| 6 | 260 | 5 February 1997 | 4 February 1998 |
| 7 | 300 | 5 February 1998 | 21 May 1999 |
| 8 | 260 | 24 May 1999 | 19 May 2000 |
| 9 | 180 | 22 May 2000 | 5 February 2001 |
| 10 | 260 | 6 February 2001 | 25 January 2002 |
| 11 | 260 | 28 January 2002 | 24 January 2003 |
| 12 | 260 | 27 January 2003 | 23 January 2004 |
| 13 | 260 | 26 January 2004 | 21 January 2005 |
| 14 | 160 | 25 January 2005 | 2 September 2005 |
| 15 | 353 | 5 September 2005 | 10 January 2007 |
| 16 | 285 | 11 January 2007 | 18 January 2008 |
| 17 | 310 | 21 January 2008 | 27 January 2009 |
| 18 | 259 | 30 March 2009 | 26 March 2010 |

## International edition

The TV series was broadcast outside of South Africa, in neighbouring countries in the original bilingual Afrikaans-English version, and, beginning in May 1997, in an English-only international version.$^{:16}$ The bilingual version was shown in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, where Afrikaans was spoken or widely understood. In the late 1990s, the English version was broadcast in at least 9 African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Zambia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Mauritius.$^{:17}$
At one time in the 1990s, the series was shown in at least 30 countries.
In creating the international version, all Afrikaans-language scenes were filmed twice, first in Afrikaans, then in English.$^{:17}$ To make the series more appealing to non-South African audiences, typical South African sayings and customs, were deleted from the international edition.
Egoli was also dubbed in Spanish for broadcast in some South American countries.$^{:17}$ The series was sold to Venezuela's state channel Venezolana de Televisión at the 1998 NATPE in New Orleans, a first for a South African television series post-apartheid. A package of 260 episodes were sold, compiled as one-hour episodes to match local tastes and lengths.
In 1994 a local Hebrew adaptation was produced in Israel. The series was adapted for Israel television to reflect local reality. The original storylines from the first season of Egoli served as the basis for the Israeli version. The series was titled "Zahav Shel Shotim" which translates to "Fool's Gold" in english.

## Parodies

Egoli: Place of Gold was one of the South African soaps to be parodied by comedian Casper de Vries in his soap parody Haak en Steek.

## Demise

The final episode of the series aired on 31 March 2010. The final episode included surprises and special guests and ended at the memorial.

## Movie

It was announced in August 2009 that a movie entitled Egoli – The Movie would conclude the longest-running soap opera in South African history. The movie was directed by Bromley Cawood and produced by series creator and writer Franz Marx, in cooperation with Burgert Muller, a co-producer of the TV series, and Pieter Venter of Brigadiers-Franz Marx Films. The feature film was released in South African cinemas on 16 June 2010 and starred many cast members from the TV show including David Rees, Shaleen Surtie-Richards, Tiffany Kelly, Christine Basson, Brümilda van Rensburg, and Lerato Motau. Some sources list the title of the movie as Egoli: Afrikaners is Plesierig.

## Other media and products

A book entitled Franz Marx's Egoli 2000 by Reinet Louw was published by Human & Rousseau in 1999. The English-language edition was a translation of the Afrikaans-language edition, Franz Marx se Egoli 2000, also published in 1999.$^{:Versopage,backcover}$ The book related how the show was developed, recounted storylines from the first 8 years of the show, provided biographical sketches of characters, and included photographs of cast members.
A cookbook featuring recipes by characters in the series (including Nenna, Elsa, Donna, and Mrs. Naidoo) was published during the program's run and ranked number 1 on the South African top ten best-seller list for several weeks. The recipes featured in the cookbook were collected by South African restaurateurs Eduan Naudé and Brian Shalkoff.$^{:31}$
During the early years of its run, the TV show marketed a sticker book and stickers featuring pictures of the actors from the series.$^{:19}$
After the series concluded in 2010, a double-disc DVD entitled Egoli 18 was released. The DVD featured highlights from each year of the series' 18-year-run, repackaged into new 24-minute episodes by the show's creator, Franz Marx. Episodes were introduced by actors, writers, and other notable personalities who were affiliated with or fans of the show.
The show also marketed its own fragrance. The perfume, named "Essence of Gold."$^{:19}$
Clothes featured in the TV series, designed by fictional character Freddie Vermeulen of Louwna Fashions, were also sold in South African shops at one time.$^{:19}$