Beloved Shows Including The Wonderfully Weird World Of Gumball, Teen Titans Go! and Batwheels Debut In isiZulu

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Warner Bros. Discovery is strengthening its connection with South African families by introducing isiZulu dubbing for fan‑favourite Cartoon Network and Cartoonito shows, a major step in making its kids’ content more accessible and culturally relevant for the local market. Building on the brands’ existing local productions and on-ground marketing initiatives, the rollout also includes new local channel voice‑overs and multilingual Cartoonito on‑air greetings. Together, these elements celebrate cultural inclusivity, support local talent, and respond to the growing demand for authentic local voices in kids’ entertainment, making Cartoon Network and Cartoonito’s content more accessible and relevant than ever before.

 

These initiatives build on the strong connection Warner Bros. Discovery Kids already enjoys with South African audiences. Cartoon Network has once again been voted the #1 Coolest Kids’ Channel in the Sunday Times GenNext Youth Survey, while Cartoonito ranks as the #1 channel in the DStv Family package. During DStv’s 30th Anniversary Open Window promotion in November, Cartoonito also soared to the #1 kids’ channel across the platform. Cartoon Network remains one of the strongest and most popular kids’ channels on pay‑TV, available from the DStv Access package upwards¹. With beloved shows such as Teen Titans Go!, Regular Show, Mr Bean and Zig & Sharko, the brands continue to deliver the content kids love — now with an even stronger local touch.

 

Cynthia Gonçalves Afonso, Warner Bros. Discovery Senior Manager, Programming and Presentation, Kids Channels, explains, “By introducing local languages into our kids’ channels, we’re not only making our content more accessible, but also ensuring it stays relevant to the everyday lives of South African families.”

 

Fan-Favourite Shows Dubbed in isiZulu

Following the December launch of The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball in isiZulu on Cartoon Network, audiences can now enjoy Batwheels in isiZulu on Cartoonito. More dubbed favourites will roll out throughout the year, including Teen Titans Go!. These shows are being introduced progressively across both channels, giving children the joy of hearing their heroes in their own language.

 

isiZulu is South Africa’s most widely spoken home language, spoken most often at home by 24.4% of the population (15.1 million people) according to the latest national census (Stats SA, 2022). By dubbing flagship shows into isiZulu, Warner Bros. Discovery is directly responding to the growing demand for content in local languages, ensuring that more children feel included in the stories they love.

 

Johannesburg‑based localisation studio EarCandy led the isiZulu dubbing process. Louise Callcott‑Stevens, CEO of EarCandy, says, “Our role was to ensure that the shows were authentically localised, from translation to voice recording, while maintaining the integrity of the original content. By combining linguistic accuracy with cultural nuance, we make sure the dubbed versions look and sound just like the originals.”

 

New Local Channel Voices

Cartoon Network and Cartoonito have strengthened their South African identity by appointing Paballo Koza and Siya Ngxambuza as the new official voice‑over artists for the channels. Siya is a Johannesburg‑based voice‑over artist with extensive experience across major South African brands, while Paballo is an award‑nominated actor and children’s TV presenter, bringing a familiar and trusted voice to the channel. As the leading voices behind promos and on‑air branding, they bring local authenticity and flair to the channels’ identities. This initiative is separate from show dubbing and ensures that the channels themselves sound closer to home for African audiences.

Everyday Greetings in Kids’ Own Languages

Alongside English, Cartoonito’s hosts Nito & his friends now greet viewers in seven additional South African languages: isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, Sepedi, Setswana, Sesotho, and SiSwati. With a total of eight languages, the channel has introduced more than 100 on‑air greetings and short clips, covering the first language of nearly 90% of South African homes. These everyday moments make the channel feel more familiar and inclusive, while laying the groundwork for future expansion into additional Sub‑Saharan African languages.

Looking Ahead

Warner Bros. Discovery continues to blend global storytelling with meaningful local elements, which helps lay strong foundations for the future of kids’ entertainment in Africa. By expanding language representation in South Africa, Cartoon Network and Cartoonito ensure children see and hear themselves in the stories they love. By reflecting the richness of everyday life across the country, Warner Bros Discovery is future-proofing its content and ensuring its shows remain resonant for the next generation of viewers.

 

Cynthia Gonçalves Afonso concludes: “Language is a powerful connector, and by offering beloved shows in isiZulu and adding multilingual on-air greetings, we’re helping make everyday moments on Cartoon Network and Cartoonito feel more familiar and inclusive. This is an important step in representing the vibrant linguistic landscape of South African homes.”