“I Could Never Hate This Country”: Grade 8 Learner Made to Zep in Initiation Has SA Tearing Up

• A video showing a Grade 8 learner dancing during what appears to be a school hazing has gone viral on TikTok
• The clip shows older students cheering on the young boy as he performs popular dance moves
• South Africans flooded the comments with relief, saying school initiations have become more positive instead of harmful

A video of a Grade 8 learner being made to dance to the amapiano song Zep during a school initiation has left South Africans feeling hopeful about the state of high school culture. TikToker @m.atete_2.0 posted the clip on 17 January 2026, showing a group of students gathered around a young boy who had just started high school.

The video shows the Grade 8 learner performing the popular dance moves to Zep by DJ Smallz, ZinedinexSguche & 031choppa. In the video, older students surround the young boy, clapping and shouting encouragement as he performs the moves perfectly. The text overlay on the clip read:

Read also

'BBMzansi' viewers react to Liema and Thandeka's altercation: "Liema wanted to throw hands so bad"

"Making Grade 8's Zep," and the energy in the footage is positive and supportive.

While it's unclear which school this took place at, the video has struck a chord with many South Africans who remember their own school initiation experiences, both good and bad.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi loves the hazing video

Many netizens shared their thoughts on TikTok user @m.atete_2.0's clip, stating:

@El!👻 revealed:

"Yooo guys, it's me that's dancing😭😭"

@Ché gushed:

"You could never make me hate this country😔❤️"

@Survii_B commented:

"Love how initiation has become a fun tradition instead of humiliation 🥺❤️"

@Andile shared:

"Mina, as a Grade 8, I was robbed of my lunch money and taxi fare. I had to walk home."

@Angelizer✨:) said:

"Lol, now he is a cool kid at school😂😂"

@nozie_nkabinde added:

"He'll forever be famous 🤣🔥"

@mathapelo wrote:

"These children are happy xem. We don't want bullying this year."

@fufu stated:

"I really love the seniors of this era. They are not bullies❤❤❤"

Read also

Sizwe Dhlomo reacts to an AI-generated video of Helen Zille dancing: "She's moving to me"

What experts say about hazing?

According to experts at Applied Sports Psych, hazing happens when new members on teams or in schools are made to do things that embarrass, harm or put them in danger. What's important to know is that it's still hazing even if someone agrees to take part. Many older students don't realise an activity is harmful because they judge it based on their own experience, but what really matters is how the new person feels about it.

New members often go along with it because they're scared of disappointing their teammates or don't know they can say no. It's important to note that there are many better ways to welcome people.

3 Other schools in South Africa

• Briefly News recently reported on parents of special needs learners turning to President Cyril Ramaphosa after repeated school rejections.
• A Limpopo secondary school made headlines after all 15 matriculants failed their 2025 exams, and the premier's response had people talking about what went wrong.
• Thousands of Gauteng pupils started the 2026 school year facing an unexpected challenge.

Source: Briefly News