Finally! South Africa gets its own version of 'The Office' with 'Die Kantoor'

There’s a special kind of chaos that happens when a character humiliates themselves, pauses mid-mess and looks straight into the camera like, “Please confirm I’m not the only one seeing this madness.”

That, dear reader, is the mockumentary, where fiction pretends to be reality and comedy lives in uncomfortable silence. When characters break the fourth wall to speak directly to us, it’s called direct address or the talking head style, and frankly, it’s one of television’s finest inventions.

Shows like "The Office" and "Modern Family" turned awkward stares, dry pauses and brutally honest mini interviews into pure comedic art. And let’s be honest, it’s hilarious.

This format has slowly become a favourite because it feels dangerously real. The messy energy, the side eyes, the exaggerated politeness hiding pure irritation. It’s basically the workplace but with better lighting and sharper punchlines. 

Shows like "Hotel" gave us a taste of how well this style translates locally, with actors such as Schalk Bezuidenhout, De Klerk Oelofse, Beer Adriaanse, Cintaine Schutte and Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck, embracing the awkward brilliance of the genre and delivering performances that proved South Africans don’t just understand mockumentaries, they excel at them.

Now, the country is stepping into even bigger territory with a South African adaptation of the global hit "The Office", licensed by BBC Studios. The local version, "Die Kantoor," will be filmed primarily in Afrikaans. 

The original "The Office", created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, is considered comedy royalty.

Metacritic lists the British version as the best-reviewed comedy series of all time, while the American version collected five Emmys and became the most-streamed show globally in 2020. No pressure, but also… expectations are sky-high.

This will be the 14th edition of the franchise worldwide, and the Afrikaans version promises an unmistakably local flavour.

Picture Bezuidenhout delivering his signature dry awkwardness, Botha commanding the office with effortless authority, Carl Beukes adding tension, and Oppelt serving facial expressions that deserve their own award.

Alongside them are Daniah de Villiers, Mehboob Bawa, Sipumziwe Lucwaba and newcomer Gert du Plessis, forming a cocktail of comedy just waiting for the camera to zoom in at the worst possible moment.

Bezuidenhout has already proven he’s a natural in the mockumentary space, and some comedians simply understand this format on a spiritual level. They know how to work the silence, the slow blink, the “you see this too, right?” glance. That’s where the magic lives.

At the helm is Saftas and Silwerskerm winner, Bennie Fourie (the same comedic brain behind "Hotel" and "Magda Louw"), who is the head writer and director.

Fourie’s mockumentary fingerprint is anything but generic. His work in "Hotel" didn’t merely flirt with the genre - it redefined how South African sitcoms could explore absurdity through realism. I mean, even.

We've even seen some of his hilarious and good acting skills in the Afrikaans mokumentary "G.I.L", if anything, we've been killing it with this genre.

The series transformed everyday workplace nonsense into biting social commentary, holding a mirror up to ego, hierarchy and the soft chaos of work life, all while making viewers laugh through their teeth.

Instead of a paper company, the setting shifts to Deluxe Processed Meats, a polony-specialising business constantly looked down upon by its prime-cut head office.  Add a BBBEE consortium buying into the company, and suddenly everyone’s job security feels as fragile as a flimsy tea-room plastic chair.

Fourie has made it clear this version won’t mimic the UK or US formats. It will reflect South Africa’s realities, humour and cultural nuances, making the show fresh, relevant and oh-so relatable.

Mockumentaries thrive on truth wrapped in absurdity.

And if "Die Kantoor" delivers the way Fourie’s track record suggests, viewers are in for a deliciously uncomfortable ride filled with side-eyes, whispered chaos and moments that make you laugh and cringe at the same time.

Honestly, the only thing left to do is stare into the camera and say, “Yoh… this is about to be good.”

• kykNET will preview the first episode of "Die Kantoor" on Sunday, January 18, at 8pm, ahead of the Showmax double bill premiere on Tuesday, January 20.