“Izinyoka-Nyoka”: Mitch Reacts Hilariously to UK Podcaster Discovering SA Cable Theft, Mzansi Amused
- A South African content creator reacted to a UK podcaster's story about a luxury train trip that stopped overnight because of stolen cables
- The clip reminded South Africans of the old Eskom Izinyoka anti-cable theft adverts that aired in the mid-2000s
- Viewers were stunned that South Africa's cable theft problem had reached an international audience
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Instagram
A UK podcaster unknowingly gave South Africans a good laugh, and it all started with stolen cables. KFM radio presenter Mitch Matyana shared a reaction video on his Instagram account @mitchmatyana on 1 August 2026, responding to a clip of a British podcaster recounting a luxury train journey in South Africa that ground to a halt overnight.
The reason? Cables had been stolen along the line. For international audiences, it was an unusual story. For South Africans, it was very familiar territory. What made Mitch's reaction clip take off was not just the story itself, but where it led. As soon as the cable theft came up, he reached back into South African TV history, reminding his followers of the old Eskom Izinyoka campaign.
Izinyoka goes international
The adverts, which aired in the mid-2000s, depicted cable thieves as reptilian creatures called 'izinyoka' — a Zulu word for snakes — to discourage theft of electrical infrastructure. Mitch also recalled the era's iconic public service announcements that asked South Africans to switch off their pool pumps to help manage electricity demand.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
For many viewers, the idea that South Africa's very specific, very local cable theft culture had ended up on a UK podcast was equal parts funny and surreal. The Izinyoka adverts were a shared cultural memory for a generation of South Africans who grew up watching them, and seeing them referenced again in 2026 brought the nostalgia flooding back.
Watch Mitch Matyana's reaction on the Instagram reel below:
Mzansi reacts to the izinyoka throwback
Seeing a British podcaster recount a cable theft delay on a train ride, completely bewildered, reminded locals just how normalised the experience has become at home, and how bizarre it must look from the outside.
User @mamthiyane32 wrote:
"They've made it 😂"
User @lethabo95 said:
"They've been dropping hints about reptilians 😂👏🏾"
User @saionearth added:
"Don't worry, it's one of those, man"
User @elbstar109 shared:
"As soon as he mentioned stolen cables, I thought of that ad!"
User @nikho_m laughed:
"Lol, yes izinyoka-nyoka (cable thieves) 😂."
3 Briefly News theft-related articles
- A South African woman woke up to a chaotic morning after discovering that thieves had stolen all the tyres off her car and left it propped up on bricks.
- A glamorous night out took a sharp turn when men booked at a penthouse in Cape Town were allegedly robbed of designer clothes and shoes, and cash by women they met at a club.
- A Cape Town e-hailing driver was robbed of his cellphone at gunpoint by two men who requested a ride, and the incident was caught on a dashcam.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: Briefly News
