Prepare yourself for some hair-raising tales as a brand new, and first of its kind reality show about three Cape Flats undertakers comes to Showmax.
“Die Ondernemers” is an Afrikaans series that followers the life and routines of three undertakers - Candice Austin, owner of Goodall & Bourne Funeral Undertakers; Jano van der Berg, owner of Van der Berg Funeral Services and former Stormers rugby player Ramone Samuels, managing director of SamWill Funeral Services, co-owned by his brother, Springbok fullback Damian Willemse.
The three undertakers met each other during the COVID-19 pandemic and formed a WhatsApp group to provide assistance and support during the highly stressful period, and remained friends.
Austin, 36, runs the business with her sister Lynn Truter, 41.
Austin says: “I started working for my parents 16 years ago. I was only supposed to be working for them for a couple of months, but I just never left. Sadly, they passed away from Covid three years ago and then I took over the business and my sister joined.”
She adds: “There are so many things that I have had to overcome, at the top of my mind is trying to get the same level of respect that males in this industry get. I had to earn their respect by working hard and showing them my skills.
“I think its very informative to watch this series. The industry changes all the time with home affairs, hospital rules etc. In this show we talk about that.”
Van Der Berg, 33, from Eerste River, started working for the family business at just 13-years old.
The dad of one says: “People will get to see the behind-the-scenes stuff that we do; they will see the work and effort we put in ensuring that their loved ones are buried with dignity and how we go the extra mile.”
He says his most challenging day was burying his mother during the pandemic.
“I called my team to inform them, but nobody was available. I know we were exhausted, we had about 120 funerals a month, five to six a day during Covid.
“I had to fetch her body, I still had another funeral to do that day, I had to dress her and prepare her body.”
S
amuels, 29, who retired due to a rugby injury, says: “I had a love for the funeral industry because I wanted to become a forensic pathologist. But at the time, I chose rugby, and then eventually I found my roots back to the funeral industry.”