“You Don’t Have Boundaries”: Lady Cleanses New Car at Dealership, SA Divided
- A South African woman trended after sharing a video of herself performing a traditional ritual at a car dealership to bless her new car
- The unique footage was shared on TikTok, showing the moment she celebrated her high-end purchase with a blend of modern success and cultural tradition
- Social media users were divided over the display, with some congratulating her, while others questioned the appropriateness of performing the ritual in public
- Briefly News spoke with Mkhulu Thobile, a traditional healer from Cape Town, about the spiritual significance of cleansing new possessions and the controversy surrounding the video
Source: TikTok
A new car owner made waves online after choosing to honour her ancestors by performing a ritual directly on the dealership floor during her car handover.
The video was shared on TikTok by user @leratoratoki, garnering massive views from an online community that was split over her ritual and the public nature of her cultural expression.
The clip begins with the lady signing her ownership papers at the Omoda dealership before transitioning to a personal moment. She is seen kneeling next to the car, which was still veiled under a black cover and ribbon, to perform ukuphahla (a traditional ritual).
A ritual blessing for the silver beast
This traditional ritual involves communicating with ancestors, during which TikTok user @leratoratoki was seen using tobacco as an offering next to a man. After the ritual, the "silver grey beast" was finally revealed, and the excited owner was filmed driving it out of the showroom and later parked in her yard, where she carefully removed the remaining interior plastic covers.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: TikTok
Sacred rituals in public spaces
We at Briefly News spoke with Mkhulu Thobile to discuss the importance of protecting new assets and why some people felt the dealership ritual crossed a boundary.
The team asked what could be the reason the woman felt the need to cleanse or clear their pathway before even driving it out of the dealership. He responded:
“It removes bad energy. A car is a big investment, and she clearly believes it must be introduced to the ancestors so they can protect the driver from accidents and jealousy. We’ve seen people who crash their cars right after leaving the dealership, so if she felt she wanted to do it before she left, good for her.”
When asked what the spiritual risk of not cleansing a major purchase like a new car is for those who believe. The sangoma said:
“The risks are that unseen spirits can follow the car. Cleansing creates a shield. Without it, some believe the car will always have mechanical problems or bring bad luck to the owner.”
SA debates cultural practices at dealership
The clip garnered 208K views, 14.6K likes, and nearly 900 comments from social media users who congratulated her, while others debated the traditional versus modern settings for rituals. Some viewers expressed shock at seeing the ritual, suggesting that such a private act should have been reserved for her home rather than a public business space. Others, however, jumped to her defence, pointing out a perceived double standard in society. They argued that when people perform Christian prayers or anoint cars at dealerships, it is rarely questioned, and therefore, ukuphahla should be treated with the same respect.
User @Rolivhuwa Lidovho🇿🇦 asked:
"People pray at the dealership, but the one yokuphahla is wrong?"
User @Aluwani Thekgo said:
"We are the transparent generation 😭 now we pray on camera 🥹😢. Congratulations 🥳."
User @Naledy B commented:
"At the dealership? You don’t have boundaries for sure."
User @Dee shared:
"Congratulations, girly. You're not the only one who believes publicly. Some pray in public, so do it in malls, some go to fields on a hot summer day, where we see them while on the freeways. Do you, Boo."
User @Tsebaie said:
"I understand why she did this; some cars don't make it home from the dealership, so if the dealership didn't have a problem, who are you to judge?"
User @Yenkosi
"Totally wrong 😩."
Watch the TikTok video below:
3 Briefly News articles about rituals
- A woman came across a cash amount totalling R250 lying on a road, intentionally secured with a needle and a worrying note suggesting a financial curse.
- A family performing a traditional ritual at home experienced an unexpected mishap when a chicken's feathers caught fire from nearby candles, sending them into a panic.
- A local makoti shared a video of her and her in-laws going to perform an Easter ritual at the graveyard in the early hours of the morning
Source: Briefly News
