RURAL BOY TAKES YouTube BY STORM

Rams Comic main character, Noko Mashaba in one of Rams Comics’ viral videos.

Reshoketswe Mlangeni

@Reshoketswe_M

After a failed attempt to study Biochemistry at the Pretoria University Jonas Lekganyane decided not to despair but to do something productive. Lekganyane is a 23 year old from the dusty rural village of Polokwane, Ga-Mothapo. On the eNCA’s Against All Odds programme, Lekganyane said that he could not continue to pursue his dreams of studying Biochemistry because of budgetary constraints, a situation that left much to be desired.

 Instead of going home and join the youth plight of street roaming due to lack of employment he founded Rams Comics. After a year of dropping out from varsity in 2012 his comics started to go viral on You Tube. He is famous amongst his viewers for the specific usage of Sepedi lingo only. Lekganyane tackles current affairs issues facing the country and blending them with his comic talent to bring humour in them. Answering what inspires his work to Mpho Lakaje on television programme he said: “I wish you can say that art imitates life. So I am always thinking about things that are currently happening around.”

The amateur work of Lekganyane does not impress ordinary You Tube lovers only but professional art lecturers too. “For a person who does not have any formal training I am astonished by the level of his standard of work,” said Benjamin Graham, an Animation Lecturer at the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance, (AFDA). Graham added that Lekganyane clearly has a good eye for composition and character design. “His eye for animation and character performance is really coming along, He gets the character performance really nice,” Graham added. Lekganyane admits that even though he does make few pennies out of his online work it has not been a smooth sailing for him. He said that as coming from poor background he had to contribute towards the family’s income. Lekganyane works from his home’s sitting room using his friends and cousins as voice overs and doing the rest by himself.

Lekganyane’s former teacher, Tshepo Mofokeng had nothing but praises only for self-made famous Jonas. “When I saw his videos online I was not surprised because I remember I saw his comic book in Grade 9 and prophertly told him that he will go places with animation,” Mofokeng said.  Lekganyane said that even though he might have found something to do he is still saving to go back to schooling. For an escaping break from a long day, Lekganyane’s videos can be viewed on YouTube at Rams Comic or follow him on twitter @Rams Comic.