Brakpan Chronicles Review – Exploring the Truth Behind South Africa’s Most Memed Town

What did the Brakpan kid say when the teacher asked which are the most popular cities their parents have visited? Liquor City and Baby City. Those types of jokes are littered throughout Brakpan Chronicles, Showmax‘s latest documentary about the most famous infamous town in the East Rand of Johannesburg.

Brakpan has become something of a meme among South Africans, with various stories about the town evolving into urban legends and rib-tickling punchlines. In this two-part series, media personality and presenter Rian van Heerden travels to the town – exploring landmark locations like The Rock Raceway and Rosetulee – to get the truth from the right source: its people.

Even though van Heerden understands the sentiment around Brakpan, he approaches every interaction with friendliness and respect, letting the individuals speak about the town from their own perspective. Throughout this journey, he meets a variety of interesting and colorful characters who unpack the history of the town and paint a picture of everyday reality. None of them shy away from addressing the rumors and sentiment about Brakpan, with some even admitting the jokes are rooted in an element of truth.

What comes across in these discussions is a level of warmth toward outsiders; it’s something that becomes a theme throughout Brakpan Chronicles. Of course it helps that van Heerden is a well-known local media personality and the camera crew following him around adds a different dynamic, but these folks open their homes and places of work for the world to come in and see. This could have easily been a hidden mockumentary, or a piece to poke fun at the people; however, they present themselves with an honesty and authenticity that’s refreshing to experience.

The Brakpan Chronicles crew visit different parts of the town at different times. Yes, there are some strange individuals and peculiar behaviors on display, as van Heerden even watches a silly fight break out in the street, but it’s not quite the all-out hillbilly paradise that everyone says the town is. As one of the people in the documentary declares: Much like with any town or city in South Africa, there are good and bad influences everywhere. It’s true.

Having said that, van Heerden only ventures into the one bad part of Brakpan that everyone who has lived in the East Rand knows about. There are other notable rougher areas that he could have visited and experienced firsthand – including a few notorious and illegal joints that would be far more hectic than the silly slap fight shown in the street outside of the hotel. On second thought, though, the safety of the crew might have been compromised, and hey, no documentary is worth a week in hospital or drinking your lunch through a straw.

All in all, Brakpan Chronicles provides a balanced and heart-warming depiction of the town and its people. You’ll laugh, you’ll sympathize, and you might even be tempted to visit Rosetulee for the ultimate party. Don’t worry about packing your best shoes, though; those are only optional in Brakpan.

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