“English Needed for Interviews”: Bonga Back in the Spotlight With Video of His Mack Game, SA Amused

• A content creator shared a video of a well-known street dweller, Bonga, in a playful interaction with a shopper inside a local shop on January 3rd, 2026
• The entertaining clip appeared on TikTok, where it reached millions of viewers who were amused by the unexpected encounter
• Social media users were entertained and praised the man for his sharp vocabulary, while some admitted they might have felt uncomfortable in that situation

A popular figure known for his public journey and struggles with substance abuse was filmed sharing a humorous moment while standing in a checkout line in a Johannesburg shop.

The video was recently shared on TikTok by @young_ayman_where it gained 4M views and 418K likes from a massive online audience, who mostly found him amusing.

The video begins with Bonga standing behind a woman at the till. He greeted her by calling her a princess with a big smile on his face. The lady reacted with a confused and slightly annoyed look, which prompted the well-spoken man to offer a quick reassurance.

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Education and personality shine through Bonga’s life challenges

He playfully told the woman not to worry because he did not indulge in human flesh as a food source. As the woman looked away with a visible expression of discomfort, he continued to giggle and enjoy his good mood. TikTok user @young_ayman_’s video showed Bonga concluding the interaction by letting out a loud growling sound while gesturing with his hand toward the lady’s back.

SA loves Bonga’s grocery store antics

The clip went viral, gaining millions of views and nearly 4K comments from an online community that was entertained and had a lot to say. Many viewers loved how Bonga consistently showed off his education. A large number of viewers mentioned that the growling sound at the very end of the video had them rolling with laughter. Some took a different view and admitted that the playful behaviour might have rubbed them the wrong way if they were not in a good mood. Others simply enjoyed seeing him in high spirits and celebrated his infectious energy.

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User @siyakubongakapa shared:

"My king indulges in the consumption of English grammar."

User @Alfa male commented:

"Yes, it is him. The world has been a little cruel to him, but the good author will rewrite a new chapter for him, and we will stand wednes🥰🥰. This is my prayer for him."

User @ Sinobaby shared:

"I don't know if this is funny or it’s because I haven’t slept, it’s (5 am)."

User @Kween_Filoe added:

"It's the grrrrr at the end that finished me😂."

User @lazy.lax76 said:

"Bro, went to school."

User @zanelemabuza8 commented:

"Waze Wadlala ngesingisi engisidinga ku interview (he's playing with the English I need for interviews)😭."

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News articles about street-dwellers

• A popular former homeless man, Bonga, from Johannesburg, issued a boxing challenge to a fellow street resident, Alostro, promising him a powerful knockout in the first round.
• A powerful video documented 35-year-old Bongi's forced entry into rehabilitation and captured his initial defiance towards recovery, sparking a massive online debate.
• A Cape Town man openly shared his challenging nine-year struggle with substance dependency that pushed him to the streets, and he lived there for many years.

Source: Briefly News