“The Taxi Is Mine”: US Man Becomes Determined Gaatjie, Humours SA

• A man from the United States of America named Brashaad Mayweather was in a taxi in South Africa and decided to take on gaatjie duties
• When the official gaatjie got out of the vehicle, Brashaad took on his role of getting passengers inside the taxi
• Many members of the online community laughed at what they had seen on their screens and said the American man was already a South African citizen

Sometimes, using public transportation, specifically when travelling in a taxi, can be a stressful experience, as drivers often navigate the roads as if they own them.

However, a man from the United States turned his ride into a great adventure when he became the unofficial gaatjie, bringing a smile to passengers' and online viewers' faces.

US man becomes a gaatjie

Brashaad Mayweather, who has quite a large following on TikTok, took to his account to show app users on the popular social media platform how he took on the role of a gaatjie, the person in a taxi who calls for passengers and acts as the fae collector.

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In the clip, after the original gaatjie stepped out of the vehicle to search for potential passengers, Brashaad did the same and asked people if they wanted to go to town.

The man, taking his unofficial role seriously, wrote in his post's caption:

"The taxi is mine."

Watch the TikTok video below:

Brad’s been living his best life in SA, and his page is proof. From hiking Cape Town’s mountain trails with legendary actor Warren Masemola to vibing with the local police and having a blast with kids in the Cape Flats, he’s fully embracing the Mzansi experience.

His culture shock moments are also hilarious! He experienced confusion over Marmite while grocery shopping and even had an unexpected encounter with a security guard, he’s been documenting it all on TikTok.

But here’s the real tea! It looks like Brad’s been busy shooting a project with Netflix. In December, he wrapped up filming and showed love to South Africans for the warm welcome.

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"I just wrapped my role on one of your great shows. Not one day goes by that I'm not extremely loved by South Africans. Thank you, tears to my eyes as I type this. I love this country so much and I know you all love me. 🇿🇦🙏🏾 I'm working with the greats!"

American gaatjie humours Mzansi

The video had some members of the online community laughing in the comment section after seeing Brashaad's attempt at being a gaatjie on their For You Pages.

With the ongoing dislike of American tourists in South Africa (due to their presence increasing the cost of living and making life for locals difficult), some local app users made it known that they didn't mind Brashaad being in the country.

After watching the clip, @roccomccool exclaimed with a laugh:

"You're having too much fun at this point!"

A humoured @t.ways pointed out:

"The taxi driver is too kind for my liking!"

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@user1481621627340 advised Brashaad and the public:

"If you struggle to whistle, just pull your lower lip and hold your breath."

@kingbroly2 laughed and told the online community:

"Homie wanted the entire South African experience."

@n888_g said to app users in the post's comment section:

"Give this guy a South African passport. He isn’t leaving."

@ismailleague, who enjoyed the video the American man posted, stated:

"Make sure you never go back to the United States. You are staying right here, brother."

@notgupta joked with his spicy comment:

"America can keep Elon we’re keeping him."

3 Other stories about gaatjies

• In another article, Briefly News reported how surprised South African internet users were after seeing a white man working as a gaatjie for a taxi driver.
• Local app users laughed after a Cape Town man showed a gaatjie using a hook latch to close the vehicle's sliding door.
• A hilariously bored student turned an elevator at res into a taxi by collecting money from people who got in. Many online users found the video humorous.

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Hilary Sekgota, human interest head of desk at Briefly News, contributed to this article.

Source: Briefly News