“I Feel Sorry For His Kids”: SA Outraged by Video of Motorist Littering on Cape Town Roads

• A driver threw litter on the road, and a tour guide returned it to him, only for the driver to toss it out again
• The motorist was fined R500 for his actions after the clip went viral online
• South Africans called for harsher punishment and public shaming of the litterbug

A video showing a driver littering on Cape Town roads has left South Africans fuming. The clip, which was shared on 28 December 2025, captured an incident that happened on 27 December 2025 at a red traffic light in the Western Cape. The footage shows a Polo driver throwing a styrofoam bowl onto the road while waiting for the light to change. What happened next had people across the country talking.

In the video, a tour guide from a bus waiting a few cars back jumped off and walked quickly towards the Polo. People in the bus started recording as the tour guide picked up the litter and handed it back to the driver before walking away.

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The driver then threw the cup out of the window again. He even opened his door and tossed it onto the road once more. By then, the tour guide had already entered the bus, and the door closed as the light turned green. The Polo driver drove past the bus, showing complete disrespect for what had just happened.

It was later revealed, though, that the gentleman had taken responsibility and admitted to littering in the Western Cape. The motorist was later fined R500 for his actions.

South Africans react to littering video

Social media users shared their thoughts on Instagram user @softlifehardtruthss's clip, stating:

@sylvesterchauke wrote:

"How we treat the small things translates to how we treat the bigger things."

@nrico_001 said:

"A whole adult, I feel sorry for his kids🤦🏽‍♂️."

@veetee21 commented:

"Reprehensible behaviour in the first place, but the actions afterwards are worse."

@baienuuskierig stated:

"R500 fine is permission, not punishment."

@saidapoeticscholar added:

"Registration plates of such culprits need to be exposed..."

@jazy.yas shared:

"Well done to the tour guide👏🏽. The actions of the driver say a lot about him!"

@shayda.khan3 suggested:

"Restorative Justice should prevail. In addition to a fine, he should also spend a day cleaning up a public space. This will force people to rethink their actions."

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What happens if you litter in SA

According to the Dumping and Littering By-law of South Africa, no person may litter or cause littering of waste. The law states that anyone who dumps or permits the dumping of waste can face serious consequences. If someone is caught littering, the penalties for littering depend on how serious the offence is. A first-time offender can face a fine or up to 60 days in prison.

For dumping waste, which is seen as more serious than littering, offenders can face a fine or up to one year in prison. Courts can also order people to do community service instead of paying fines. If someone keeps breaking the law, they face even tougher punishments, including longer prison sentences.

Watch the Instagram reel below:

More Western Cape incidents

• Briefly News recently reported on wildfires in Overberg and Kommetjie that prompted safety warnings, with firefighting costs exceeding R2.4 million.
• A visitor from Johannesburg shared his shock after seeing broad daylight in Cape Town during late evening hours in a humorous clip.
• The City of Cape Town addressed concerns over the Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade amid discussions about route changes that sparked criticism.

Source: Briefly News