A South African adaptation of The Office, titled Die Kantoor, debuts on Showmax today (20 January 2026), following an earlier preview on kykNET (DStv Channel 144) last Sunday.
The comedy story follows Flip, an office manager inspired in part by Springboks rugby coach Rassie Erasmus and iconic comedian Leon Schuster. He is played by 2025 Fleur du Cap winner Albert Pretorius.
The Showmax Original, filmed primarily in Afrikaans, is the 14th international adaptation of the mockumentary format created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant more than 20 years ago. The original British version is considered one of the highest rated comedy series of all time, while the American adaptation won five Emmys, including outstanding comedy series, and became the most streamed show globally in 2020.
The format has since been adapted for audiences in regions including Australia, France, Canada, Chile, Israel, India, the Middle East and Poland.
Die Kantoor is produced by Rapid Blue, part of BBC Studios, with BBC Studios handling global sales. SAFTA and Silwerskerm winner Bennie Fourie serves as head writer and director. He is the co-creator of the SAFTA Best TV Comedy Hotel and for his role as Baltus in the mockumentary Magda Louw.
“It’s a massive honour to be able to make the show,” says Fourie. “When we started way back with Hotel, this was the type of show that we were trying to emulate. I don’t think we were ready to make it then but after 10 years of playing with the mockumentary genre, now is the perfect time for us to do this. Everything has really fallen into place and we’re extremely excited.”
Rather than recreating the series shot by shot, the South African adaptation has been reimagined for a local context.
“South Africa is not the UK and it’s not the US, and we really wanted to reflect that.”
One of the most significant changes is the setting, which moves from a paper company to Deluxe Processed Meats, a polony manufacturer.
“South Africa is a proud meat-consuming nation,” says Fourie. “From biltong to droëwors to steak, many South Africans find some of our identity in the meat we eat. But polony is not on that list. It’s just so flippen pink. When you’re standing around a braai, the last thing you want to say is that you are passionate about polony. Especially after that Listeriosis outbreak.
“Flip’s only been the manager for the last year but he’s excited to welcome the documentary crew. He feels like this is his Chasing the Sun; like his rise to greatness needs to be recorded.”
The ensemble cast includes SAFTA winner Schalk Bezuidenhout, Lida Botha, Carl Beukes, Silwerskerm winner Ilse Oppelt, Daniah de Villiers, Mehboob Bawa, former KFM presenter Sipumziwe Lucwaba and newcomer Gert du Plessis. The staff of the polony business operate under constant uncertainty, with head office favouring premium meat divisions and a BBBEE business consortium having recently acquired a significant shareholding.
Die Kantoor launches with a double bill and continues weekly on Tuesdays. Seasons one to nine of the American version of The Office are available to stream on Showmax.