"She Was Robbed": American in South Africa Woman Pays Over R2k for Braids, SA Stunned

• An American woman shared a TikTok video after a South African salon charged her R2,300 for a braiding session
• The TikToker said she had found another salon willing to do the same style for around R500 before choosing this one
• South Africans flooded the comments, furious at the price and demanding to know the name of the salon

An American woman living in South Africa got a costly lesson in price awareness after a salon visit left her paying nearly five times what locals say the service is worth. TikToker @tazzytea posted a selfie-style video on 5 August 2026, frustrated and candid about what happened.

She explained that when she got to the till after getting her hair braided, the salon charged her R2,300. She had already found another place quoting around R500 for the same style, but she went with this salon anyway.

When the American @tazzytea questioned the price, the stylist told her the extra cost was because her hair was extra long since the extensions had not been cut from the packet. She pushed back, but it was late, and she was tired, so she ended up paying. Many were insistent that the style shown in the video had no business costing anywhere near R2,300. People were quick to note that a South African-owned salon would not have typically charged those prices. Watch the video that sparked the outrage below:

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Mzansi demands salon's name

@LoveCandy wrote: '

"Where? Which salon? Tell us, we will get your change back. A South African braider would NEVER and I mean NEVER, do that."

@MKM said:

"Go back with the police! They must show you the price list! Yoh ha ah!"

@Candid POV commented:

"That's R250 to 400 max."

@Rea Walker noted:

"2.3k for cornrows? That's not a South African-owned salon btw."

@NRamsey23🇿🇦 added:

"This hairstyle is literally R250-300."

@tshepol_ urged:

"You need to take a South African with you to go get back your money! OMG!"

@sharp_nerh wrote:

"She was robbed."

Other Briefly News stories about Americans in SA

• An American expat living in South Africa who expressed her profound love for the country while grappling with the decision of which city to call home.
• Details about an American student, Caroline, studying her Master’s degree in Cape Town and the eye-opening differences she discovered between US and South African grading systems.
• An American's observation on the rarity of fire trucks in South Africa, which sparked a lively discussion among locals regarding their fire services and building materials.

Source: Briefly News