URBO: The Adventures Of Pax Afrika

Anelisa Phewa was the voice of Pax Afrika. Season 1 Mon-Thu SABC2 (*192) 17:00 Animation

Kids’ show URBO: The Adventures Of Pax Afrika (2006-2009) was ahead of its time when it was conceptualised. “We never thought that the SABC would be interested in a futuristic show about a hover bike-riding kid [Pax] saving the environment,” says former script writer Lauren Beukes. “We submitted our idea and to our surprise, we were asked to show three episodes. They were interested and we were commissioned to do 13, then 26 and then 52 episodes!”

There are 104 episodes in total – 1

two seasons. “We planned a third and fourth season but the series was cancelled after two due to budget constraints and we could never wrap up the storylines,” reveals Lauren.

Pax was given a voice 2

by Anelisa Phewa – Sifiso from 2012 to 2016 on 7de Laan (2000-current, see p24). Some of the other characters were voiced by comedian Rob van Vuuren and actress Nicola Jackman – Elise Buller until 2001 on Isidingo (1998-current, see 18).

It took the team 11 weeks to make 3

each episode. “It was seriously fast production,” says Lauren. “Season 1 had a really small team – about ten people. For season 2, we were about 100.”

Lauren adds that tackling issues 4

like “bullying, Zimbabwe, HIV and global warming was a natural step that could not be ignored”. In 2014, Lauren wrote horror novel Broken Monsters that horror super author Stephen King called “scary as hell!”