No sooner had the 50th episode of Evita’s Free Speech entered the internet highway, then the most famous white woman in South Africa – and now arguably the continent itself – also received a gold medal.
This is not like Caster Semenya for an Olympic win, but to celebrate the first year of Evita’s weekly YouTube reality newsflash.
Originally inspired by the August 3 municipal elections, Tannie Evita used her weekly three to four minute video-chat with the world to put South African politics and society into a nutshell, with the accent on optimism and truth.
As Tannie Evita’s creator Pieter-Dirk Uys points out, underlining her freedom of expression that is guaranteed by the constitution, Evita’s Free Speech has reached the ends of the world and beyond, with reactions coming from Siberia, Alaska, the Antarctic, Australia, Los Angeles, Yokohama, Tibet, Nkan-dla, Somalia, Mali, St Helena, Camp David, The Hague, Tripoli and even the International Space Station.
Filmed at Evita se Perron in Darling every Sunday morning at 7.30am, Tannie Evita faces the world with the headlines of the moment, as well as her personal comments on the state of her nation and mankind.
Produced by Skolliewood Films, the episodes are filmed, edited and distributed by Stefan Hurter.
Evita’s Free Speech is entering its second annual output in the service of anyone who needs to believe that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, even though most of today’s political tunnels are curved. Her weekly episodes are on the Evita-se-Perron YouTube channel and also carried by Daily Maverick, ZA News among international internet and media clusters.
* Pieter-Dirk Uys will perform at Die Boer in Durbanville in the Echo of a Noise on Tuesday and Wednesday September 6 and 7 and in an Evening with Evita Bezuidenhout on Thursday and Friday September 8 and 9. Go to www.dieboer.com for more information. Nobody’s Died Laughing: A Journey with Pieter-Dirk Uys is currently being screened at cinemas across the city.
* Evita se Perron is this year celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Visit www.evita.co.za for dates and times.
Stellar performances at Ultra-trail Cape Town