
Ray Neo Buso joins 7de Laan' as Zakhele - a flamboyant gay characterActor Ray Neo Buso has joined 7de Laan' as Zakhele Zee' Guliweyo a new gay character after Shawn Basson's death.
by Rae Seleme
19-01-2022
in SA TV and Film
Ray Neo Buso has joined 7de Laan' as Zakhele -a flamboyant new character. Image via Instagram @_rayneo
SABC2's Afrikaans soapie 7de Laan has introduced a gay character - Zakhele - a month after the death of Shawn Basson - a fan-favourite gay character.
--
Zakhele is played by newcomer Ray Neo Buso who's also made an appearance in Skeem Saam as Mapitsi Maputla's wedding choreographer.
Also read: 7de Laan': Shawn is dead or is he? Fans in utter disbelief [watch]
Welcome to our Season 23 Cast Interns, Ray Neo Buso and Daniel Coetzee
For more information on their character roles, tap #7delaan #Season23 #Zee #Uyshttps://t.co/2HEvGejSdu pic.twitter.com/02nseVIisk
7de Laan (@Real7deLaan) January 5, 2022
RAY NEO BUSO AS ZAKHELE Flamboyant actor Ray Neo Buso has joined the cast of 7de Laan as Aggie Meintjies' nephew Zakhele Zee Guliweyo a month after the role of Shawn Basson got killed.
--
Buso got into the show through the annual 7de Laan cast internship program which is in its fourth year.
The actor tells Drum Magazine in an interview that he was thrilled and excited to get the role.
The positive attitude I went into the audition with gave me a positive outcome, as an openly gay man like my character, I am ready for criticism.
He also tells the publication that he grew up in pageants and he's used to criticism and ready for it.
--
I grew up dancing where your teacher will criticise your dancing and they take it as grooming.
I joined my first agency in primary school and hearing no' often groomed me to handle the criticism.
Everything in entertainment is put out for people to enjoy and criticise and you have to take what you get.
Also read:7de Laan: What is happening Tuesday, 18 January 2022 - E277 S22
Ray Buso as Zakhele in 7de Laan'. Image via Instagram story @_rayneo GAY STORYLINES IN 7DE LAAN' 7de Laan received backlash when they showed their very first gay kiss between Shawn (De nr Reiners) and Emile (Christopher van der Westhuizen) in 2017.
Shawn Basson was DeWet Basson's (Dirk Stolz) gay son who pretended to be straight for years and was married to Lana Basson (Mila Guy0.
He and DeWet had a challenging relationship as DeWet couldn't accept him for who he is.
Zakhele got attacked two weeks by strangers and was hospitalised at Hillside Clinic when he arrived in 7de Laan.
It appears that the show is tackling bias-related violence against homosexuals through Buso's character.
The younger Visagie Uys Visagie who is son to Tanya and Werner and grandson to Augusta seems to be behind his attack.
Uys Visagie is played by Daniel Coetzee who also got into the show through the annual 7de Laan cast internship programme.
Also read: Umkhokha' actress Linda Sokhulu has joined the cast of 7de Laan'
Ray Buso as Mapitsi Maputla's choreographer in Skeem Saam'. Image via Instagram story @_rayneo Also read: Skeem Saam' actress hints at Mapitsi's wedding challenges
CLICK HERE to take part in our survey & stand a chance to WIN R5 000 in CASH!
Africa Stories
07/11/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is a statutory body established to promote and develop the South African film and video industry, including animat...
13/10/2026
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie, invites suitably qu...
13/10/2026
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie, invites members of ...
07/10/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce the extensi...
02/10/2026
01 October 2026 | Johannesburg, South Africa - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an entity of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), is ...
01/10/2026
Johannesburg, South Africa, 30 September 2026 - The National Film and Video Foun...
23/09/2026
1. ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites applications from experienced producers who own or manage a South African product...
23/09/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce the opening...
17/09/2026
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), in partnership with the Nation...
16/09/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible South African pro...
09/09/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating ...
05/09/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
18/08/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
15/08/2026
14 August 2026 | Johannesburg - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), a...
14/08/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Ar...
08/08/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
28/07/2026
27 July 2026, Johannesburg - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
20/07/2026
The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, has released t...
09/07/2026
08 July 2026, Johannesburg - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
06/07/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
01/07/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
10/06/2026
Production and Development Funding supports the creation of compelling, commercially viable, artistic and culturally relevant South African screen content. Deve...
09/06/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is a statutory body mandated to spearhead the equitable growth and development of the South African film and video...
19/05/2026
Press Release
18 May 2026, Johannesburg South Africa has been selected as the...
24/04/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/04/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
26/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), has been tasked with administering the Sixth Presi...
24/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating ...
15/03/2026
Johannesburg, 14 March 2026 - On 13 and 14 March 2026, the 19th Annual South Afr...
12/03/2026
Johannesburg, 11 March 2026 - The 19th Annual South African Film and Television ...
03/03/2026
Click here for isiXhosa version.
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites aspiring and emerging filmmakers from Matatiele and surrounding areas to...
17/02/2026
Johannesburg, 17 February 2026 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), ...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture and custodian of the SAFTAs, is calling on all South Afri...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the call for training provider submissions is open. This funding aims to award grants ...
06/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
04/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites final-year animation students to participate in an exclusive creative showcase at the Annecy International...
02/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in partnership with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), is calling for applications from experienced Sou...
29/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in collaboration with a distribut...
28/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in partnership with the Oudtshoorn Municipality, invites aspiring and emerging filmmakers to apply for the Sediba...
20/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
07/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in collaboration with a distributor, is commissioning new micro-budget fiction feature films and invites eligible...
31/10/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 October 2025
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Segomotso Keorapetse, an award- winning South African television d...
29/10/2025
It's not the wonders of the world that make a place; it's the people. As...
07/10/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...