Watch: 10 viral videos that broke South Africa's internet

Whether it be giggling in relatability, gasping at Mother Nature’s majesty in action or letting out a ‘yoh’ at scenes that could only have been captured in our homeland, there are few things in life that make us feel as united as viral videos do.

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Here’s a little recap of ten viral videos that had Mzansi collectively feeling all the feels.

Take a look:  Cellphone thief be trippin’

Back in March last year, CCTV footage of a frustrated floor manager tripping a cellphone thief was the talk of the town. The incident went down at a Superspar in Parow in 2022, but the video resurfaced and subsequently went viral.

In less than 24 hours, the video showing the fleeing thief falling and skidding across the floor had over a million views:

@parowk9academy Happened at spar in parow robbed someone in store #crimestories #cctvcamera ♬ Kilimanjaro (feat. Justin99, Mema_Percent & Mr JazziQ) – Pcee & S’gija Disciples & Zan’Ten The not-so-fun side of beach days

Beach days are an integral part of the Cape Town lifestyle. One can easily spend hours on end basking in the sun, diving into the toe-numbingly refreshing sea and soaking in some mesmerising sunset views. The only problem is getting up the stairs of Clifton Beach when beach day comes to a close…

In a viral video that saw almost 800 000 viewers sighing in relatability, comedian Kevin Fraser shared what it feels like doing just that:

https://www.capetownetc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/LEAVING-CAPE-TOWN-BEACHES-LIKE-.mp4

Nothing unites like music and dance

Among the great anthemic South African hits like ‘Pata Pata’, ‘Weekend Special’, ‘Kaptein’, ‘Sister Bethina’ and countless yaadt mixes, lies Mandoza’s iconic ‘Nkaalakhata’.

Released in 2000, the song’s electronic beats and Mandoza’s husky voice still has South African bodies automatically grooving whenever the song comes on 24 years later. Exhibit A: Rojhey Herselman’s viral video showing off his Kwaito-styled moves that not all of us could execute so seamlessly.

The video quickly garnered over three million views:

@rojheyherselmanSkill n Litchi… ????♬ original sound – Rojhey Need for speed

Meanwhile, in the fast lane, a video of two motorbike delivery drivers competing in a drag race not only went viral but left just over 90 000 South Africans in stitches.

The food and grocery delivery industry boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many consumers debating which retailer provides the fastest service.

It seems they took to the streets to resolve the debate once and for all, mano a mano:

What happens when you ‘LekkeSlaap baie’

Keeping South Africans in stitches was a hilarious Afrikaans advert created by local brand LekkeSlaap that brought in a whopping 9.6 million views.

The advert features a family that has just moved into a new neighbourhood. As they chat with another local couple, they call over their kids to introduce them. George, Clarens and Umhlanga are just the first of the group of children. The couple then explains that they have named all of their little ones after towns they have visited.

In just 12 days, the Afrikaans video with English subtitles swept in 6.4 million viewers:

Feeding frenzy

With a mesmerising abundance of marine life found in Cape Town, it comes as no surprise that any type of footage capturing the awe-inspiring wonders that lie beneath the surface of our oceans often gain widespread attention.

One such viral video, filmed by Kade Tame in 2021 and edited by Cape {town} Etc, transcended borders from Fish Hoek to Scotland and beyond, sweeping in just over 400 000 views.

The footage unveiled a remarkable sight – a massive gathering of dolphins and whales engaged in a ‘feeding frenzy’ near the coastline:

If you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life

Universally, we all wish to merge our passion and/or purpose with a source of income. How do we know it’s a universal feeling? Based on this viral video that had over 63 000 South Africans praising this gaatjie’s ‘positive’ attitude while performing his duties, we think our hunch is correct.

The video showed a white man working as a gaatjie in Sea Point, ushering passengers into the taxi and closing the door with what the broad smile of a man that evidently loves their job:

@mandisa_banda I hope he’s getting his bag up!????????????????✨????❤️☀️???????????? #SAMA28 #fyp #explore #capetown #mandisabanda #fy #viralvideo #viraltiktok #gaatjie #taxidriver #taxi #foryoupage #viralvideos #justforfun ♬ 原声 – bolin.live If the stage calls… Klein Kwagga must answer

As 2023 approached its final chapter, seven-year-old ‘Klein Kwagga’ from Mpumalanga stole the hearts of South Africans across the country thanks to his passionate performance of Bernice West’s ‘Lyfie’ on stage.

The viral video shows Dirkco Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen unexpectedly stealing the spotlight at his sister’s year-end concert, hosted by the dance school René’s Art of Dance.

It was when the schoolgoers’ siblings were invited on stage that Dirkco’s passion for dance erupted and sent the crowd – and almost 8 million TikTok users – buzzing with amused admiration for the showstopper:

@kleinkwagga1 Doen dit lyfie doen dit! @Bernice West #Dans #fun #show ♬ original sound – KleinKwagga

While viral videos often bring a source of entertainment, a lighthearted smile or a collective giggle, there are a myriad of videos that circulate on social media platforms for more serious intentions – some as a warning or to create awareness, others as was to offer an impact.

Unsavoury reactions

In December 2023, a video showing a baboon helping itself to food at Black Marlin Restaurant in Miller’s Point and eliciting unfavourable reactions from diners went viral.

In a bid to drive the animal away, a woman at the table throws a bowl of food at it and attempts to retrieve something held in its paw. This action seemed to trigger a chain reaction among the other diners, who then began hurling drinks and jugs of water at the table guest.

Amid the commotion, a man’s voice is heard, urging calm and instructing everyone to remain still. The video subsequently raised questions about the interaction between wildlife and urban spaces and the ways in which these incidents should be dealt with:

 The treasure of good teachers

Beyond lesson plans, assessments and work schedules, the role of a teacher transcends way beyond the four walls of a classroom. In the journey of becoming the leaders of tomorrow and society members of today, teachers embody that critical point that empowers youths to be ready for their present and future.

Showing just that, a video of students from Symphony High School in Belhar surprising their beloved teacher with a prank and a gift recently went viral on social media, raking in 3.2 million views.

What appeared to be a physical fight between a group of students erupting in a classroom turns into a heartfelt montage of appreciation-showing, gift-giving and tear-inducing interactions between the teacher and her students:

@kelly_manus Today we pranked and suprised my colleague, and wow! IT WAS BEAUTIFUL ???? #teachersoftiktok #school #prank ♬ what was I made for? – Instrumental – Wheeler

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Picture: Screenshot from video