‘Yoh safa’ – SA reacts to e.tv showing Anaconda 25 years later

South African television channel e.tv is known for a few things: news, softcore pornography, wrestling and the 1997 classic Anaconda.

While the channel has had to let go of a few of those things, it’s holding on tightly to that last one.

On Thursday, the channel’s Twitter account posted a tweet telling viewers of Saturday night’s big movie which will air in the 8pm slot and it is none other than Anaconda – the 25-year-old film starring Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez and John Voight. A movie the channel said they would be letting go of eight years ago.

Can you guess this Saturday's 8PM movie? pic.twitter.com/rCJeWiZsTB

— @etv (@etv) January 13, 2022

Considering the fact that e.tv’s penchant for showing the film has been a running joke for years, South African Twitter users had a humorous response to the news.

Yo safa 😵😵 pic.twitter.com/T5eJ4A2alh

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— ☠ 𝒮𝓂𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝕏 🖤🏴‍☠️ 🇿🇦 (@smith_tshepi) January 13, 2022

Some social media users joked that they have flash drives that they were willing to “borrow” the channel if they needed new movies to air, while others hinted at the return of the Emmanuel porn movies since e.tv seemed to be in the mood to bring back old things.

Asseblief, becoz wow pic.twitter.com/kAnepu1WZj

— Gooner (@TheRealSebolai) January 13, 2022

Same with the person who suggested that SABC must play 1960s Chinese movies

— Neo the Historian Luthuli (@Ser_Ntampaka) January 13, 2022

They're obsessed with Anaconda and Leon Schuster these ones pic.twitter.com/28jHlnO1AV

— Tee Man (@iLikeMusic187) January 13, 2022

https://twitter.com/RonaldPhiri01/status/1481557761032925184?s=20

Why don't yall just bring back Emmanuel and not this anaconda nonsense 😒 pic.twitter.com/WbgvKFld5H

— sandile_collin (@sandile_collin) January 13, 2022

ALSO READ: e-TV finally says goodbye to Anaconda

And then there were those who remembered how old they were when e.tv first aired Anaconda – the first in a series of films that revolves around giant man-eating anacondas and the efforts of various groups of people to capture or destroy the creatures.

Yoh….its been how long, I was in grade 4 when I first saw this movie, and that was a LONG TIME AGO. YALL ARE DRAGGING A DEAD HORSE pic.twitter.com/bc7cAs4A6r

— I S A A C🦒 (@Isaac_Kea) January 13, 2022

HOW MANY YEARS NOW???? YOU BEEN PLAYING THIS SINCE I WAS IN GRADE 2 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/RihQnftzrO

— 🍃STONED ADVOCATE 🇿🇦 (@MoSativa) January 13, 2022

Not forgetting Charlie’s Angels!!!!!!! Yoh aa

— Bittersweet 🍓 (@__AntiNormal) January 13, 2022

One day I'll be 99 years old, on my death bed with loved ones around me… and in the background. etv will still be airing Anaconda. https://t.co/R6MDOEiHvM

— Sunny Bonanny (@Thando______) January 13, 2022

Even celebrities found themselves annoyed at the announcement and shared their thoughts.

You are behaving like the ANC now. You can’t still be showing Anaconda in 2022. https://t.co/SE43XWoHu9

— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) January 13, 2022

https://twitter.com/PearlThusi/status/1481623405040394244?s=20

Just change the name to Enaconda. https://t.co/TVUbSRIENG

— Donovan Goliath (@DonovanGoliath) January 13, 2022

Your marketing person is sleeping. Anaconda came out in 1997. You could’ve given this week’s screening sentimental value. “25 Years of Anaconda.” Give it new life. If you’re gonna play it every few weeks, put your back into it Nani 🥲 https://t.co/8WPPTWnEH5

— Ms Party (@uMsParty) January 13, 2022

The first Anaconda film follows a documentary crew as they travel through the Amazon jungle. The crew picks up a stranded man, unaware that he has a life-long dream of capturing the giant Anaconda snake, and plans to continue targeting it on their boat.

When the film came out, actress Jennifer Lopez was 28, as was rapper Ice Cube, they will both be 53 this year. Jon Voight was 59 at the time, he is now 83 years old.

Although people tried to make light of the situation with some jokes, many feel as though the situation is indicative of the dire state of South Africa’s entertainment industry relies on airing old American content which is cheaper to license as opposed to funding an entirely new and original local production.

e.tv does have a number of channels airing original, local content, however, this content has not received nearly as much attention as their Anaconda announcement has.