By Nicky Rehbock
The sky’s the limit for the ever-scheming and greedy Bra Tjotjo, who’s back this week with high-flying plans to launch a new airline, which will trade illegal goods and operate from strategic military air bases.
By throwing in some name-dropping bombs and a wedding at Sun City, this new animation has all the makings of a topical South African blockbuster.
Be sure to watch this video here and share it with your family, friends and colleagues.
The airline-deal clip is the fourth in a six-part YouTube series created for Corruption Watch by hotshot animator Mdu Ntuli. The aim of the series is to get South Africans to take a stand against corruption by reporting it to the organisation.
As Bra Tjotjo tries to fly high with his cunning ways, Corruption Watch celebrates a milestone in the success of the series by notching up 101 195 hits since its launch in December 2012, through Corruption Watch’s own channel and Mdu Comics TV.
Bra Tjotjo, the star of these special edition animations, is always on the look-out for a lucrative scam or tender. So far he’s tried his luck at illegal housing projects, a school-feeding scheme and a R48-million website deal which, in reality, only cost him R300.
But unfortunately for Bra Tjotjo and his partners in crime, a vigilant whistleblower is always round the corner, ready to sms the tip-off to Corruption Watch so the fat cats get caught.
“Fantastic awareness, Corruption Watch … thanks +++ for all your hard work … Together, we'll win in the end! SHARING!!” wrote Brian Sandberg in the comments box under the feeding-scheme scam clip.
“Bra Tjotjo is rude like Ntate Moloi from Zone 14,” wrote Karabo Kaise, alluding to the gritty township TV series starring the vile soccer boss Moloi.
“This is so cool hahaha … first real creative comedy from SA!” added Paul de Beer.
In the comments section under the Something Fishy clip, Thabo Malwa noted: “Here's some fish with extra chips hahahahahahahaha. Ai Mdu you killed it.”
“Lol a bra tjotjo dats a killer 1 lol … fish wish extra chips lolmao,” added Thapelo Nong.
“We need this in Brazil NOW!!” wrote overseas viewer Diego Weissel Rovira.
Corruption Watch’s director David Lewis believes the series is a creative way of reflecting South Africans’ sentiments on corruption.
“We are proud to be supporting young voices like animator Mdu Ntuli’s, who are already engaging with the negative effects that corruption will have on our future if we don’t take a stand now. This campaign aims to get as many South Africans on our side as possible,” says Lewis.
The fresh, funky approach certainly seems to be working as Corruption Watch this week notches up its record number of hits and sees comments from tickled viewers come streaming in.
Cartoon characters have been successfully used in other African countries as well as in India to bring issues to life in a way that young people can relate to. But this is the first time in South Africa that an anti-corruption organisation has sponsored a talented young digital story-teller allowing him to tell his own stories in his own way.
“We have given Mdu total freedom to create his own stories and characters dealing with issues that he feels are the most important,” says Lewis.
