“Being Bored in SA Is a Choice”: SA Entertained by the Viral Taxi No-Eating Rule Skit

• A humorous video, filmed in a taxi, showed a Zulu-speaking driver scolding a passenger for eating a snack, leading to a hilarious debate about taxi laws and a debate on whether it was real or a skit
• The clip was shared on TikTok and gained massive views, while confusing many viewers about its authenticity
• Social media users were entertained by the driver’s struggles with articulation and the silliness of the no-eating law enforcement
• Briefly News spoke with Nduna, a local taxi driver, about the challenges of keeping vehicles clean and the reality behind the strict 'no eating' rule

A confrontation between a driver and two passengers over eating rights in his taxi became a viral moment on social media.

The clip, shared by TikTok user @dah.commentator, gained massive views, likes, and comments from viewers who shared widespread laughter and confusion.

The video, which left viewers wondering if it was real or a skit, showed a Zulu-speaking taxi driver scolding a male passenger sitting behind him for eating popcorn. The man questioned the driver's authority, asking why he was not allowed to eat.

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The no-eating taxi rule leads to an argument

The driver asserted that it was a law that had been put in place for the taxi. The passenger then challenged the driver's own conduct by pointing out a sheep's head in a black plastic bag lying right next to the driver. The driver pointed out that the sheep's head was in a plastic bag and that he was not eating it.

The hilarious exchange continued when the man pointed to a non-Zulu-speaking female passenger next to him who was eating Doritos, and asked the driver to confront her. He tried to address her while struggling to articulate himself in English, but the woman refused to stop eating, reminding him that she paid a fare. The man continued struggling with articulation, mixing English and Zulu, trying to get the white lady to hear him.

The reasons behind the no-eating-in-taxis rule

We at Briefly News spoke with Nduna, a Cape Town taxi driver, to understand the pressures faced by drivers who maintain their vehicles and how he handles demanding or humorous passengers.

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The team asked the man if the no-eating rule is really about cleanliness, or if it is also about maintaining order inside the taxi. He said:

"It is about everything. It's 100% about cleanliness to prevent spills and pests, but it is also not fair to the hungry passengers to sit and smell someone else's food. Also, certain strong smells can make people feel sick; I once had a child vomit right after overeating because the movement and the smell of the petrol got to him, and that is a massive cleanup job."

We asked if the driver ever encounters passengers who try to argue with him about such rules. He responded:

"Yes, especially when they are bored! People sometimes want to challenge your authority, but my focus is always on safety and getting everyone to their destination, not debating taxi law. For my sanity, I chose to engage less in such debates."

When asked what the most common kind of mess he had to clean up from a passenger before was, the taxi driver said:

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"Besides the vomit, which meant I had to take my taxi to the car wash unplanned. I have had to clean chewing gum and sweets stuck on the floor, grease from fish and fried chicken. The worst was cleaning crumbs from pies, because for those to be completely removed, you need a vacuum cleaner. We don't drive around with those."

SA finds the skit hilarious

The video amassed numerous views and comments from social media users who were greatly entertained. Many viewers were genuinely confused about whether the video was real or staged, but admitted that it made them laugh regardless. Some said they were nominating the taxi guy for content of the year. Others said that being bored in Mzansi was simply a choice, referring to the endless source of humour found in the country.

User @mother-of-one said:

"His English keeps rounding off to the nearest mother tongue😩."

User @Jasmine PETERS commented:

"Being bored in South Africa is a choice."

User @Maddie shared:

"Nominated for content of the year👌🏆. I have not laughed this much in a long time🤣. We love all our people🥰."

User @sharlenec1

"South Africa is a movie 🎬 🤣."

User @Jay Someone commented:

"Guys, we need to respect rules. This is not ok. The taxi driver is actually being very civilised."

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User @Mbuyelo said:

"English is stressing the whole taxi rank 😭."

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News articles about taxis

• A local lady held a taxi door placed in the passenger seat after it broke while the driver continued riding in a doorless taxi.
• A kind-hearted taxi driver invited a woman he met in traffic to his township, Dunoon and promised her she'd be safe with him around.
• A young lady showed off her soft life provided by her taxi driver boyfriend and shared how happy she was that she gave him a chance.

Source: Briefly News