“A Big Girl Purchase”: Pretoria Woman Buys iPhone 17 With Cash Saved in Soft Drink Bottles
- A Pretoria woman stunned Mzansi after she walked into an iStore and paid cash for a brand-new iPhone 17 she had saved up in plastic bottles
- Mbhoni started dropping money into 2-litre soft drink bottles back in February 2025 and kept going for just over thirteen solid months without stopping
- Some followers were convinced the phone was actually an iPhone 16 because the two models look nearly identical from the outside to most people
- Briefly News reached out to Mbhoni, who revealed that her discipline was fueled by a desire to take her content creation to the next level
A Pretoria woman had Mzansi cheering after pulling off something special for herself.
Source: TikTok
Mbhoni, known on TikTok as @mahlungs, walked into the iStore at Kolonnade Shopping Centre in Montana Park on 22 March 2026. She bought a brand new iPhone 17 using cash she had saved inside 2-litre soft drink plastic bottles. She had been building that stash since 1 February 2025, which is just over thirteen months of consistent saving.
This was not a contract deal, and it was not a payment plan either. The base iPhone 17 starts at around R18,999 at iStore, South Africa’s only Apple Premium Partner. That is serious money to put together using nothing but discipline and a recycled cool drink bottle. Mbhoni did it without any financing, and Mzansi took notice in a big way.
The clip that had everyone in the comments
Mbhoni posted her TikTok video on 22 March 2026, and the response came pouring in almost immediately. People flooded her comments with congratulatory messages and excitement for her achievement. However, not everyone was fully convinced about which model she had purchased.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
Some followers questioned whether the phone was an iPhone 17 or actually an iPhone 16 instead. The two models look almost identical from the outside, which gave the sceptics just enough room to weigh in. Mbhoni had walked out with her purchase regardless.
Mbhoni speaks to Briefly News about her iPhone 17
Mbhoni told Briefly News that while she felt like giving up six months into the journey, she pushed through because she knew she was her own only source of funding.
“I take content creation very seriously, and I want to be recognised by brands. The only way is for me to upgrade my phone so I can do clearer content,” she said.
“When I started saving, I had made it clear that I want an iPhone 17 and that’s the one I’m gonna get, full stop.”
Her strategy was so effective that she even had an extra R800 left over after paying for the standard iPhone 17 in cash at the iStore.
The Pretoria local is already back at it, dropping money into a new bottle for her next big goal. While she is keeping her next purchase a secret for now, she said that the struggle was worth it.
See the TikTok clip below:
Mzansi reacts to the ‘big girl’ purchase
Briefly News compiled some comments from the post below.
@Rinto commented:
“Knowing myself, I would have never bought it after saving so hard. 😭😂”
@N_Spammmzzz said:
“I only started saving today. 😭 I have started with R200.”
@lukhanyo wrote:
“This is my first time seeing a girl buying herself an iPhone. Keep it up. More big things are coming your way.🥺”
@Kamogelo.Pearls♡ said:
“Congratulations, stranger. 🥳❤️I would start saving too, but the problem is that I don’t have 2-litre bottle.”
@siwe.bubu commented:
I am proud of you, my darling. I also did what you did to buy my iPhone 11.”
@Nomasonty 🇿🇦 noted:
“Hey stranger, I got myself a 17 Pro Max this month. I am so proud of us.”
Source: TikTok
More big purchases on Briefly News
- An elderly KwaZulu-Natal man broke into a full celebration dance next to his brand new Isuzu X-Rider at the dealership.
- A South African cashier working at Checkers recently had people talking after sharing a proud personal milestone online.
- Content creator Makhi Thee Swappa Queen became the talk of the town after showing off a luxury pair of accessories she recently purchased.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
