“Our Country Is Going Down the Drain”: Canadian Man Reacts to Filthy JHB CBD, SA Embarrassed
- A viral video of the littered and decaying streets of Johannesburg drew sharp-eyed criticism from a Canadian content creator
- The reaction was shared on TikTok on 31 March 2026, leaving local viewers embarrassed by the decline of the city
- Social media users flooded the comments to blame the government's neglect, while others jokingly denied it was Jozi
Source: TikTok
An international influencer sparked a heated debate after describing the streets of Johannesburg as disgusting and comparing the city to a disaster zone.
The reaction clip, posted by TikTok user @reactswithnick, showed him visibly shocked while viewing the video of a rainy day in Jozi CBD.
Observing the piles of rubbish and broken infrastructure, he remarked that the area looked like a tornado had touched down. Stunned, he said it was hard to believe a government would allow a populated city with so much potential for prosperity to fall into such a state.
The creator, TikTok user @reactswithnick, criticised the lack of basic maintenance, stating that the city resembled a third-world country. The man also noted that it was not presentable while asking for the city’s identification.
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Watch the TikTok video below:
SA reacts to Johannesburg’s decline
The video gained traction, with hundreds of locals identifying the location as Von Brandis Street in Johannesburg. Many viewers shared his frustration, reminiscing about the time when the City of Gold was clean and well-maintained. Some blamed the government for the city’s deterioration, citing years of poor service delivery. One viewer predicted that major American cities would look the same in 20 years, adding that in 40 years, they would not be able to live there because of the high inflation rate.
Source: UGC
User @Debbielange12flowers commented:
"Unfortunately, our government prefers to line their own pockets, rather than creating employment. The flipside is that we were taught not to litter, apart from the fact that it should be logical that we shouldn't. Yet, here we are."
User @Kennedy said:
"That's Von Brandis Street is in Johannesburg, South Africa, specifically in the central business district."
User @Oudienie added:
"As a South African citizen, I feel sad and angry to see how our beautiful country is going down the drain!"
User @Matshezi 💖🇿🇦
"Andisenantloni (I'm so embarrassed)."
User @GoodKarma Gen said:
"Looks like New York, Chicago, California and most of Europe."
User @Subman predicted:
"The vast majority of American cities will look just like that in 15-20 years, in 40 years, inflation will be so bad it'll match Zimbabwe."
3 Briefly News Johannesburg-related articles
- A compelling video showcasing Johannesburg's dramatic transformation from 2014 to how it looks in 2025 showed a major decline and neglect of the city.
- A woman filmed her emergency bus trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town after her boyfriend mysteriously ended their evening conversation with a vague excuse, leaving her suspicious of his actions.
- A young woman was charmed by an American suitor who asked her to stay longer at the LIV golf event in Johannesburg, as she prepared to leave.
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Source: Briefly News
