Woman Shows Satirical R18k Rental Apartment Ad in Cape Town, SA Reacts: “Looks Like a Crime Scene”

• Bianca Ntoyanto, who lives in Cape Town, showed an advert for an R18 000 per month apartment, which didn’t seem appealing at all
• The advert turned out to be satirical, as it belonged to a streetwear brand aiming to get the public's attention
• Social media users were both aware and unaware that the advert was a joke, and still shared their thoughts about Cape Town's rental market
• Briefly News spoke with a Master Practitioner in Real Estate, Xabiso Lombo, about the factors which affect rental prices

A woman in Cape Town thought a satirical advert about an R18 000 apartment available to rent wasn't far from the truth in terms of the city's current rental and housing predicament. Many South Africans, aware of whether it was a joke, were shocked to see the price compared to the condition.

Unfortunately for many Capetonians, it can be a struggle to find rental spaces due to the ridiculously high monthly costs.

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On 14 September, 2025, the woman, Bianca Ntoyanto, showed the advert on her TikTok account, which read the following:

"Enjoy the best of Cape Town from this bright and airy one-bedroom apartment in the vibrant Tamboerskloof area. Designed for modern living, the apartment features a streamlined kitchen, spacious living area, and beautiful bedroom."

The room looked far from beautiful, as it had bare, cemented walls with a single bed against one of them, which featured at least an aluminium-framed window.

The advert included a QR code in the corner that people could scan to contact the landlords. However, it led to the website for Bullyboy, a Cape Town skate and streetwear brand.

"Great advertising, Bullyboy," said Bianca at the end of her post's caption.

Briefly News journalist Jessica Gcaba spoke with Xabiso Lombo, who shared some insights about the factors which affect rental prices.

"The leading factor which influences rental prices is demand. If the property is in an area which is in high demand, the rental prices in the area will be highly competitive."

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R18k rental apartment shocks South Africans

Whether they realised the advert was satirical, the video had hundreds of South African social media users gathering in the comment section to express their thoughts about the supposed rental space.

A stunned @khenalabie asked under the post:

"R18 000 for what looks like a crime scene?"

@enhle_maoze said to people on the internet:

"I applied for an internship, and I’ve prepared myself to live in a shack because it’s only paying R5 000."

@chante9713 humorously stated to the online community:

"Guys, I thought you were showing us a room someone was held captive in."

@james_howlette shared their opinion in the comment section:

"Cape Town rental and property values are ridiculous. It's slowly pushing the Coloured and Black communities further back from the city centre. The last time this happened, it was called the Group Areas Act."

@lovedec__ noted with a laugh:

"I will never apply for jobs in Cape Town, unless my company moves me there and covers accommodation. That's crazy."

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@just_stayy2 added in the comments:

"Everyone speaks about the property value, put that aside. Why don't the properties look like their values?! Because why are we paying R18 000 for a prison cell?"

Take a look at the TikTok video below:

3 Other stories about Cape Town rentals

• In another article, Briefly News reported that South Africans were in shock when a Cape Town real estate agent gave a tour of an apartment costing R22 000 per month.
• A woman who showed an R8 000 monthly apartment sparked outrage, with many questioning the price tag and comparing it to the small size and lack of modern finishes.
• A young South African woman stunned social media users when she revealed the reality of renting an R11 500 apartment every month. People wondered what the woman's salary was after splurging thousands on a rental property.

Source: Briefly News