by Thinus Ferreira
The South African version of the comedy series The Office that is entitled Die Kantoor will be released on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming on 20 January, according to a general press release that MultiChoice sent to publications "exclusively" on Monday before later sending it to South Africa media.
The South African version is the 14th international adaptation of The Office and comes after the Australian version was cancelled after just one season last month.
The South African version is in Afrikaans and produced by Rapid Blue.
When kykNET and Showmax announced the Afrikaans adaptation in August 2024, they were asked whether the title would be Die Kantoor. They said more information would only be made available later. Now the title is indeed Die Kantoor.
kykNET and Showmax said Die Kantoor would make its debut in 2025 but that will now be in early 2026.
In April, TVwithThinus asked about the casting, when filming will start, where filming will be, who the executive producers are and over what period principal photography would be taking place.
The response to this was "You're the first media to follow up on this" with a "put you top of the list for when we have something to announce".
In August, kykNET told the media at the 2025 Silwerskermfees film festival that Die Kantoor's casting had been done.
Die Kantoor is filmed in Cape Town. Bennie Fourie, who was a director on and appeared in the Afrikaans mockumentary series Hotel on kykNET is also a writer and director on Die Kantoor.
On Monday, American trade sites published that Mehboob Bawa, Charl Beukes, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Lida Botha, Daniah de Villiers, Gert du Plessis, Sipumziwe Lucwaba and Ilse Oppelt are the actors in Die Kantoor.
After publication of the American articles about a South African TV production - marked "exclusive" although it originated from a general press release handout - MultiChoice then sent the same general press release to South African media.
According to this, Albert Pretorius was cast as the office manager of the fictional Deluxe Processed Meats where the series is set.
Tracy-Ann van Rooyen, executive head of content at Showmax, says in a supplied quote in this general press release, "Our very first Showmax Original was a mockumentary, Tali’s Wedding Diary, so reimagining the most iconic mockumentary of them all has been a full circle moment for us".
