“Cape Town Is a Trigger Word for Me”: SA Woman Shares Why the Mother City Bothers Her

• A woman took to her TikTok account to share with app users why she has a problem with Cape Town
• The woman wrote a lengthy caption to share how changes to the city affected her friends and many residents
• Some social media users in the post's comment section agreed with and related to the woman's complaints

Cape Town is a globally renowned city that attracts countless international tourists eager to experience its vibrant culture and breathtaking scenery.

However, one woman voiced her concerns, sharing her unique perspectives on why she finds fault with the beloved Mother City.

The Cape Town blues

A TikTok user named Thabi shared a lengthy caption explaining why she had a problem with the Western Cape's capital city.

She started her post with the words:

"Cape Town is a trigger word for me."

Thabi shared that in the last five years, she has seen friends get displaced from the CBD and posh café boutiques replace local corner stores.

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"When people call Cape Town an 'affordable paradise' or 'digital nomad heaven,' they’re celebrating economic privilege—ignorant of the reality that many locals can barely afford basic needs.

"The same global inequalities making it cheap for visitors to thrive (and live there) are the ones pricing lifelong residents out of their homes. Again, this opinion is mostly about digital nomads or those buying over-inflated homes, not casual visitors."

Thabi also complained about South Africans gathering numerous documents to travel abroad, only to be denied the same experience international guests are afforded when visiting our country.

"What stings the most is when all of this is wrapped in well-meaning appreciation. People love the 'authentic vibe,' the wine farms, and Table Mountain but rarely acknowledge the inequality right in front of them.

"They celebrate a postcard version of Cape Town without seeing the toll it takes on actual Capetonians."

Watch the TikTok video below:

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Internet agrees with woman's take on Cape Town

Several local social media users, some from the Mother City, sided with the woman and shared their thoughts about what was happening in the city.

@kayy_m.13, who agreed, wrote:

"Say it louder! Cape Town isn’t for the locals anymore."

@nceshdee234 told app users:

"Cape Town is a small Europe. I need two jobs."

@darija.ms added in the comment section:

"Thanks for speaking about this. As a German, I loved Cape Town. The vibe, the activities, and nature. However, I am well aware of my privilege and made sure to learn about the situation there. I am unsure how to speak up about the issues as I haven’t fully comprehended them. So yes, please, educate us."

@the_mixed_priincess said to the online community:

"I will forever be a digital nomad's biggest hater."

@a_sovereign_ shared with Thabi:

"I’m happy that even the middle class are feeling the pinch."

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@denzy.wenzy stated their opinion in the comments:

"The bigger problem in all of this is that local government puts no protections in place, and locals get treated like it’s our fault for not having enough money to compete with a European in our country."

A saddened @pinky_m2 wrote:

"Gentrification at its highest form."

3 other stories about Cape Town

• Cape Town received an award this year, placing it as the number-one city in the world for food, beating an Italian city.
• A video of youngsters robbing an e-hailing driver in Cape Town went viral. The thieves demanded cash and valuables, shocking online users.
• People were floored by how Capetonians dealt with cheaters. Briefly News spoke to a relationship expert on how to avoid toxic behaviours after ending romantic relationships.

Source: Briefly News