The premiere date for the Afrikaans version of The Office has been confirmed, with Die Kantor set to premiere on Showmax on January 20th.
Broadcaster kykNET will preview the first episode on January 18, ahead of premiering two episodes on the African streamer two days later.
The South African version will be the BBC Studios format’s 14th international production. In this series, the workplace moves from a paper company to a polony maker’s deluxe processed meats.
Written and directed by SAFTA and Silverskhelm winner Benny Hooley.
“It’s such an honor to be on the show,” Hooley said. “When we started making ‘Hotel,’ this was the type of show we were trying to emulate. I don’t think it was ready at the time, but after playing with the mockumentary genre for 10 years, now is the perfect time to do this. Everything has worked out really well and we’re very excited.”
Foley emphasized that the series is reimagining the format for South African audiences, rather than offering a direct translation. “South Africa is not Britain or America and we really wanted to reflect that,” he said.
The choice of polony maker as a work environment reflects the local culture while maintaining the awkward dynamics characteristic of this format. “South Africa is a proud meat-consuming nation,” Fourie explained. “From biltong to drawer to steak, many South Africans find part of their identity in the meat we eat. But polony isn’t on that list. It’s just very flippenpink. When you’re standing around a braai, you don’t want to say you’re passionate about polony, especially after that listeriosis outbreak.”
2025 Fleur du Cap winner Albert Pretorius leads the cast as office manager Flip. “Flip has only been our manager for a year and is excited to welcome the documentary crew,” Hooley said. “He feels like this is his ‘Chasing the Sun’ (rugby documentary). He feels like he needs to document his development into a great man.”
The ensemble includes SAFTA winners Schalk Bezuidenhout, Lida Botha, Karl Bewkes, Silverskelm winners Ilse Oppelt, Dania de Villiers, Mehboob Bawa, Siphumziwe Rukwaba and newcomer Gert du Plessis.
Rapid Blue, part of BBC Studios, produces the Showmax original, with BBC Studios handling worldwide sales.
“Our first Showmax original was the mockumentary Tali’s Wedding Diary, so reimagining the most iconic mockumentary of them all was a full-circle moment for us,” said Tracy-Ann Van Rooyen, Head of Content at Showmax, part of MultiChoice, a Canal+ company.
The original British series, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, debuted over 20 years ago. The format was later adopted in regions such as Australia, France, Canada, Chile, Israel, India, the Middle East, and Poland. The US version won five Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series.
