“This Isn’t Even AI”: Cape Town Woman Blown Away by Strong Winds in Viral Video

• A Cape Town woman struggled against fierce winds outside Cape Town municipal offices, losing her bag to gusts. Her dramatic fight went viral, leaving Mzansi laughing and amazed
• The infamous “Cape Doctor” turned ordinary gusts into a powerful blast, sweeping through Table Mountain slopes, with pedestrians quickly learning that the city’s winds spare no one
• Social media erupted with laughter to praise as many joked about flying away, turning the windy clip into an internet sensation

A stroll outside the City of Cape Town municipality offices turned into a full-blown battle against nature for one woman, and it was all caught on camera.

On 21 January 2026, @_iamsphe posted a video on Instagram of the woman being swept off her feet by strong winds. The dramatic moment left social media users in stitches.

In the video, the woman grips her bag tightly as the wind snatches it from her hands. She tries to drag it back, leaning into the gusts. Within seconds, the bag tumbles away as she gives up the fight.

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Her determination as she battled the wind was admirable to watch for many online, but the wind clearly had other plans. By the end of the clip, @_iamsphe showed her barely holding onto her balance as she realised that surrendering to Mother Nature is the only option. The video quickly went viral, racking up more than 39 thousand views and dozens of laughing emojis from viewers across Mzansi.

Cape Doctor turns gusts into serious blasts

Cape Town is notorious for its strong winds. The “Cape Doctor” south-easterly and winter north-westerlies create havoc for pedestrians and light vehicles. Tech company, EcoFlow states that high- and low-pressure systems interact with the city’s unique geography to produce these winds. Table Mountain, in particular, funnels air over its slopes, turning ordinary gusts into powerful blasts that challenge even the most prepared walker.

Watch the Instagram video below:

Mzansi reacts with laughter to wind chaos

Mzansi couldn’t stop reacting to the wild clip, flooding the comment section with laughter, jokes, and admiration for the woman’s struggle against Cape Town’s relentless winds.

@ditebogophade wrote:

"Imagine some of us who are wearing size 30😪, I was going to fly. 😂😂"

@eitranartie_mdluli commented:

"And the manager will still be asking, "Why are you late?"🤣😂

@me_lizzo_ highlighted:

"This isn't even AI, this is real life. 😭😂"

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@gadijaabdul said:

"I avoid this square at all costs on days like these because I fear being recorded like this.🤣😂"

@missnmass commented:

"God does not want you to have this bag. The bag says, " please let me go."

3 more Cape Town stories on Briefly News

• Briefly News previously reported that seven hikers struggled against extreme wind on a Cape Town mountain path, with some resorting to sitting down to avoid being blown towards the sea.
• A young environmental activist took to social media to show users how dirty a beach in Cape Town was.
• A video showed port control informing a Russian vessel entering Cape Town harbour that the South African flag on their ship is flying upside down.

Source: Briefly News