Die Kantoor—an adaptation of the hit series The Office—is the official South African version of the show. But instead of selling paper, they sell polony.
Head writer and director Bennie Fourie said: “Using humour to shed light on social issues has always been a passion of ours. To take something you feel you can’t talk about or preach about, you pepper it with comedy. But there must be retribution—that even in comedy, when you say something bad, there is comeuppance for it.”
Fourie acknowledges that many people in South Africa carry some form of misogyny, homophobia, or racism, even if it is denied. “That is a human condition. We are pointing towards it and confronting it. This is a very fine line, and we are happy with how it has been received.”
Although the response has been positive, Fourie admits there was a lot of fear about whether it would land. “When we did the table read with the whole cast, I felt the energy. I felt they really understood it and found it funny.”
The production was a labour of love. They rented an office space and built the set from scratch and filmed over seven weeks. Lida Botha, now 90 years old, is part of the cast.
The UK and US versions of The Office have been hugely influential in shaping modern comedy. The UK version left a lasting mark on the genre, while the US version became one of the most widely loved and impactful comedies of its time.
“We always dreamed of making a show like it. We thought we’d never get the rights—so many of us had tried—but then, eventually, I overheard in a meeting that there was an opportunity to acquire them…” They contacted the BBC, who wanted them to keep the office name and retain key characters, like Michael—here Flip—and his office best friend Dwight, now Tjaart. They also received guidance on casting, which Fourie describes as a great process.
“We had to make it very South African, and that’s where a strong writers’ room really helped. Making it recognisable here was the biggest challenge, especially because the BBC said we must make it our show. We decided to include representatives from as many cultures as possible.
“It was always going to be written in Afrikaans, so it would be skewed towards mostly Afrikaans speakers, but we still wanted representation. If anything is said about any culture, we can pan to someone for a reaction.
“The key is to make the characters very human—to give them dreams, icks, and frustrations. They also need to feel like someone you know, otherwise they become caricatures. We leaned on people we know in real life, and that’s why the characters feel real and familiar. As soon as you have that, the audience thinks, ‘I know that guy, I know that person.’
“I have family members who feel like Tjaart, and anyone in a small town knows someone like this. If you write something that makes your friends laugh, then you’re on the mark.”
The show has performed well on Showmax, but Fourie says it’s too early to confirm a second season which would now likely be on DStv Stream. “As the writers, we are thinking about it and writing ideas, but we do not yet have the formal go-ahead, so we are lying in wait.”
