Showmax has released a hard-hitting new trailer for the documentary series Brakpan Chronicles, which premieres on Friday, 20 February 2026.
The two-part production comes from Rian van Heerden and Provoco, the team behind the SAFTA-winning Sex in Afrikaans and Tiek Tok Boem!, which was named one of IOL’s most jaw-dropping documentaries of 2025.
Looking Beyond the Brakpan Stereotype
Situated roughly 30km east of Johannesburg, Brakpan has often been reduced to a punchline in memes and online jokes, frequently labelled as “common.” The documentary challenges that surface-level reputation by digging into the town’s deeper history and lived reality.
Rian van Heerden says the goal was to move past the stereotypes and present a fuller, more human portrait of the town and its people.
A Town Built on Coal and Gold
The story goes back to 1888, when a coal seam was discovered on the Eloff family farm, Weltevreden, near a brackish water pan that inspired the town’s name. Coal mining led to railway expansion, and the later discovery of gold briefly turned Brakpan into a mining heavyweight. At one point, it even boasted the tallest mine dump in the world – higher at the time than the Egyptian pyramids. As mining activity declined, the town’s fortunes shifted.
Local Landmarks in the Spotlight
Brakpan Chronicles tours a range of well-known locations in and around the town, including Carnival City, The Rock Raceway, Maskell’s Hotel, Thirsty Okes, Rosetulee and Ziggy T’s Roadhouse. These stops help frame the town’s culture, history and everyday character.
Meet the Characters of Brakpan
The series features a lineup of memorable personalities, such as Ratkas, a pawnshop owner who went viral on TikTok after chugging a litre of Richelieu brandy, slapfighter Terence “Supra” Labuschagne, female bouncers Hester Croucamp and Lina Stoltz, and former police officer Jan “Stolla” Stols, who recalls a chaotic brawl that required military intervention.
Van Heerden describes the town as packed with bold, eccentric and larger-than-life individuals who bring its stories to life.
Experts and Viral Creators Weigh In
While residents largely speak for themselves, the documentary also includes input from etiquette expert Emsie Schoeman, who discusses how easily damaging labels can stick — and how difficult they are to shake.
The series also tracks down YouTubers theboys — brothers Matthew and Joseph Parry — whose viral video, Investigating The Most Weird Town in South Africa!, amplified Brakpan’s online notoriety. Joseph Parry passed away last year.
More Than a Meme – A Place Called Home
For many viewers, Brakpan may exist mainly as an internet myth, but the documentary stresses that it is a real home to thousands of people. Long-time resident Johnny the Barber, who has lived there for 57 years, praises the town’s strong sense of friendship and community, saying that once you’ve “drunk the dam water,” you never truly leave.
Van Heerden admits the production changed his own view of the town, describing it as one of the most unique places in South Africa, defined by people he sees as genuine and grounded.
Check out the trailer for the documentary below:
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