Popular and outspoken comedic animator Mdu Ntuli, the animator behind the Nkandla Fish and Chips commercial recently banned by the SABC, is joining forces with Corruption Watch to encourage South Africans to speak out against corruption.
The talented satirist of Mdu Comics and The Izikhokho Show – recently picked up by Comedy Central thanks to its run-away success on YouTube – is interrogating topical corruption issues in a 6-part YouTube series sponsored by the anti-corruption organisation.
The launch of this initiative coincides with the UN International Anti- Corruption Day tomorrow, and aims to get young people to take a stand against corruption by reporting it.
Corruption Watch provides a safe platform for all South Africans to report corruption through its website and its SMS hotline.
The monthly animated stories will feature the world’s least successful tenderpreneur, Bra Tjotjo, and will be available on the Corruption Watch YouTube channel and on the Corruption Watch website. The first animation is appropriately titled Something Fishy.
“Mdu Ntuli is one of South Africa’s most original and hard-hitting satirists and we are excited to be partnering with him on the Bra Tjotjo series,” said David Lewis, executive director at Corruption Watch.
“He has developed a loyal following of 2.5 million viewers on his YouTube channel thanks to fearless commentary that taps into the spirit of our country and our times. We are proud to be supporting young voices like Mdu’s that 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 young South Africans on our side as possible.”
Ntuli has developed a character called Bra Tjotjo for these special edition animations. Together Bra Tjotjo and his silent partner, Van Deventer, are on the look-out for the next scam, with a little inside help from a corrupt government official.
“I think South Africans will relate to the characters. They are greedy opportunists who always end up behind bars thanks to a good citizen who notices their skulduggery and reports it to Corruption Watch,” said Ntuli. “This is an old cartoon convention that we are giving some fresh legs.”
This will be the first time in South Africa that an anti-corruption organisation has sponsored a talented young digital story-teller.
“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.
Saturday Star