“Your Neighbours Have a Big Cat”: Mzansi Reacts After Man Encounters Leopard on His Driveway

• A man captured a heart-stopping moment when a leopard calmly walked through his driveway, turning his quiet stay at a luxury lodge into an unforgettable wildlife encounter
• The powerful predator showed no aggression as it climbed walls and vanished into vegetation, leaving viewers stunned by how close the man was to danger
• The viral video sparked massive reactions online, with South Africans joking and reflecting on what it means to live alongside roaming wildlife

A man staying at a luxury lodge near the Kruger National Park was left frozen in disbelief after coming face to face with a leopard casually strolling through his driveway in Hazyview, Mpumalanga.

The encounter happened on 24 January 2026 at Xidulu Lodge, located within the exclusive Elephant Point Estate near the Paul Kruger Gate.

The unexpected moment involved wildlife enthusiast and photographer @safonsafari, who spotted the powerful predator just metres away from his accommodation. The leopard, completely at ease, walked, climbed, and surveyed its surroundings, turning what could have been a terrifying experience into an unforgettable sighting.

Read also

Woman filmed her nephew’s first taxi ride, and his confidence left Mzansi amused

The lodge sits on the banks of the Sabi River and directly borders the Kruger National Park, an area known for frequent wildlife movement. Given the estate’s location, it is believed the leopard was a resident animal simply passing through its natural territory, as it has likely done many times before.

A close encounter that stopped him in his tracks

In the TikTok video, @safonsafari shared footage of the leopard from inside his room. The big cat can be seen climbing onto the wall fence before casually hiding in the surrounding vegetation, moving like a predator familiar with the area.

The leopard showed no signs of aggression, instead behaving as though the lodge was just another part of its regular patrol. @safonsafari's footage gained attention on TikTok, sparking fear and admiration among viewers.

Watch the TikTok video below:

Mzansi weighs in

South Africans flooded the comments section with a mix of awe and humour, noting that it would be a different story if the man had pets staying outside.

@Klive Boss commented:

“It wants you to come out, it just wants the two of you to 'talk'.😂”

@Sally Jane Smith wrote:

“Wow! Your neighbours have a big cat.😂”

Read also

Mzansi reacted after private pilot casually flew to Joburg for a Burger King and returned the same day

@Morne Vd Merwe said:

“So rare, why didn't you pet it?😁🔥🤟”

@Andrew Genade highlighted:

“Hope you don't have outdoor pets.”

@Raptor69 wrote:

“Happens quite often in Phalaborwa. I once caught a Jack Russel in a yard.”

More Briefly News wild encounters that left Mzansi speechless

• In another article, Briefly News reported that a European woman shared a TikTok of wildlife she saw during a petrol station stop in South Africa, admitting that her UK friends thought she’d live among animals when she moved to Cape Town, which she recognised as an ignorant view.
• A rare, highly paying conservation opportunity in the Scottish Highlands captured the attention of thousands of South Africans on social media.
• A wildlife enthusiast shared a clip of himself handling a venomous snake, and it bit him on the nose.

Source: Briefly News