“This Made Me Homesick”: TikTok Video Celebrating SA Has Mzansi Expats Around the World Emotional

A South African TikToker posted a heartfelt video dedicated to every South African living far from home, and it stopped people mid-scroll. Craig, who goes by @craiginsydney, shared the tribute on 19 May 2026.

The clip showed off the wildlife, landscapes, and culture that make South Africa impossible to forget. Many responded, and even people who never left said it broke them.

The video could not have landed at a better time. A global study by Remitly found that South Africa is the second-most homesick nation in the world, with 96.1% of South Africans abroad admitting to a deep longing for home. Seeing the Big Five, the Drakensberg, and the Cape coastline on a screen from thousands of kilometres away will do that to a person.

The numbers behind the heartache

Estimates suggest that over 900,000 South Africans now live abroad, spread across the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Canada. Most left chasing opportunity. Most never stopped missing home.

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According to the Remitly study, 80% of South Africans abroad miss family most, followed by friends at 62% and food and drink at 54%. Nearly half say it hits hardest during milestones, illness, or moments when a video call simply is not enough.

The comments on Craig’s video said everything. One person wrote that the video made them homesick despite never having left South Africa. Another admitted they miss their birth country deeply but cannot picture a future there anymore. That tension, loving a place while grieving what it could be, is something the South African diaspora carries every single day.

Watch the clip below:

More about South Africans abroad

• A South African student shared a heartfelt message thanking a Chinese family who welcomed and supported her during her time abroad.
• A Dutch indie pop duo called Jack and the Weatherman went viral after using a Jeremy Loops song to spot a South African on the street abroad.
• A white South African man abroad stopped to answer questions about his identity, sparking pride back home.

Source: Briefly News