To prepare for the skit, David Kau studied Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala’s appearance before the ad hoc Committee.
You notice his glasses, the streaks of grey in his beard, and his bald head, and at first glance, you might mistake comedian David Kau for crime suspect Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
“A little bit, I guess, especially with the beard and the chiskop, and the spectacles,” Kau concedes while speaking to The Citizen.
The seasoned comedian is part of South African Broadcasting Satire (SABS)’s latest skit, which recreates Matlala’s appearance at the ad-hoc committee, held at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre in Pretoria in late November.
The SABS, a network created by South African comedians, pokes fun at politicians and whatever’s trending in South Africa.
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Kau being Matlala
The alleged attempted killer and drug cartel kingpin Matlala’s two-day appearance in front of parliamentary members made headlines and trended on social media.
Matlala made serious claims about payments and interference involving high-ranking officials, including former minister Bheki Cele and the police leadership.
Kau said this was his first time working with SABS and shared that a fellow comic advised the SABS crew to bring him in.
“Kagiso Lediga said to them that I will make a good ‘Cat’,” says the comic and co‑founder of the trailblazing skit show, The Pure Monate Show.”
To prepare for the role, Kau said he followed Matlala’s appearance before the committee.
“I watched a bit of the actual ‘Cat’ testimony on TV. From there on, it’s just tapping into my experience as a UCT drama school graduate and comedic timing.”
Kau hopes the ongoing revelations at the ad hoc committee and the Madlanga Commission aren’t just for show, but will lead to real change.
“Society only knows what the media tells and shows us. With these commissions, you hear things directly from the horse’s mouth, and you can form your own opinion,” Kau says.
“We hope it’s not just another show and commission and will actually lead to successful convictions.”
ALSO READ: David Kau has been consistent with his complaints against government support for comedy
Kau celebrates 27 years
Kau has been at the forefront of South African comedy for nearly three decades; as a result, he has shows this festive season.
“I have my one-man show in Cape Town at the Homecoming Centre theatre on 19th December, celebrating 27 years of doing stand-up comedy since I started in 1998,” he shares.
When Kau first moved to Joburg in 2000, the industry was more white-dominated than it is now.
He laid the foundation for today’s black comics, who can instantly pull off shows, something that was unfathomable when he started.
Kau did a show called Comedy Blackout for about four years before launching Black Only.
“The idea was to try to get black people to come to stand-up comedy. I’ve always tried to push line-ups of black comedians. By then, it was just me, Kagiso, Ronnie Modimola and Tshepo Mogale.”
Blacks Only was launched in 2004.
“You just needed a platform for black comedians to perform in whatever language they want. But the show was still primarily English.”
When he came up with the show’s name, he faced no backlash from the media, but did receive criticism from a handful of white comedians.
“The idea was always ripping off the old African apartheid laws; ‘Net Blankes’. The first poster we did for Black Only, we shot it at Zoo Lake, where we found this toilet that still had the whole sign that says ‘no blacks’ allowed.”
The show has grown into an institution, serving as a platform that’s given so many comedians a chance.
The likes of Trevor Noah, Eugene Khoza and Skhumba are a handful of comics who’ve graced the Blacks Only stage.
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