Schalk Bezuidenhout

Cape Town based Schalk Bezuidenhout was born in a very Afrikaans, ‘bring-terug-Apartheid’ town right next to the airport in Joburg.

In Kempton Park, the traditional Afrikaans way of living was a good life. Your mother’s breast milk would be brannewyn en coke, you would walk kaalvoet to school, and you’d hide your lunch money when a black man walked past.

His family and friends stood back as they watched Schalk evolve from an Afrikaans conservative caterpillar into a beautiful drama-queen butterfly, complete with a moustache and furry afro. It was obvious to Schalk’s parents that he would study drama, and to help numb the pain, they sent him away to study at the University of Cape Town.

While studying in Cape Town, Schalk slowly began to realise that there was so much more to life than boerewors and rugby – and he started doing stand-up in April 2011.

On stage Schalk is fun and energetic, and appeals to people of all kinds and colours. Schalk has come a very long way in the short amount of time that he has been doing comedy. He has had the privilege to perform at some great venues, alongside some even greater comedians.

“Bezuidenhout is known for his quirky dress sense and the way he lets the audience in on what it’s like to be an Afrikaans-speaking young person. His unique material and delivery allow him to stand out in a sea of stand-up comedians” – Helen Herimbi