There’s a lot that makes Cape Town special for visitors. You can take a cable car up Table Mountain, explore Robben Island, or enjoy a wine tasting in Stellenbosch. But one American content creator had a different kind of adventure. One that had him stepping into the shoes of a South African minibus taxi driver.
Taxis move the city. They fill the streets. They stop where they want. They hoot. They weave through traffic like they own it. Drivers and their guardjies work together. One keeps the taxi moving. The other calls out destinations, making sure no seat stays empty. Some drivers do both.
South Africa’s First American Taxi Driver
A video recently went viral on TikTok, showing a man from the U.S. fully embracing the role of a “fake taxi driver” in Cape Town. Posted by African American Fam, a channel run by an American man married to a Xhosa woman, the clip captures him and his son enthusiastically calling out “Wynberg!” from a quantum while picking up passengers at Retreat station.
He goes by the Xhosa name Khazimla. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was the real deal. The swag, the way he counted the money outside the taxi, even the moment he leaned in to talk to a passenger — his whole presence matched the part.
What’s refreshing about this video is the reaction it received. Instead of backlash or accusations of cultural appropriation, most of the comments were positive. Many people saw it as a fun and respectful way of engaging with South African culture. There’s a fine line between imitation and appreciation, and this video lands on the right side of it.
@africanamericanfam Usbari taxi now open! 🤣 #fyp #mzansitiktok #relatable #southafricatiktok #xhosanation #funny ♬ original sound – The Logan Fam
A Look at Cultural Appreciation
Culture is personal. Our people defend it. They fight over it. But they also share it. We welcome those who respect it, live in it, and understand its little details.
This video could have gone another way. The internet can be harsh. But it seems like he got it right. The reactions from locals were positive. His connection to the culture through his wife—who’s Xhosa—played a big part in the way people saw the video. They didn’t feel mocked. They saw it as someone appreciating their way of life.
I think his connection to South Africa is real. This man was embracing the culture and wanted to experience it in the most authentic way he could.
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Author: Editorial Team
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