"That's Hectic": SA Man in US Explains Why Mzansi Consolation Words Confuse Americans, Mzansi Amused

• Thando Mbhele, a South African living in the US, posted a video revealing the culture clash behind everyday Mzansi expressions
• The viral clip unpacked how South African phrases used to comfort people get completely lost in translation with Americans
• Fellow South Africans abroad flooded the comments with their own awkward experiences trying to explain local slang

Thando Mbhele is a South African living in the United States. On 24 August 2026, he posted a candid video to Instagram that struck a nerve with Mzansi and Mzansi expats all over the world.

Filmed in a casual selfie style at home, Thando spoke directly to the camera about one of the more unexpected struggles of being South African abroad. The problem? The words South Africans reach for when someone is going through a hard time simply do not translate for American ears.

Back home, a well-placed "shame," "eish," or "hectic" can say everything. They carry warmth, solidarity, and understanding without needing much explanation. In the US, those same words land very differently.

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Lost in translation across the Atlantic

The caption on his post said it all:

"It's kind of hectic when you think about it."

And that word, "hectic," is precisely the kind of expression that leaves Americans scratching their heads. For South Africans, it covers everything from mild inconvenience to genuine devastation. For most Americans, it just means busy.

Thando's video quickly resonated with South Africans who know exactly what it feels like to reach for a familiar word and watch it fall completely flat. His video was a reminder that language carries more than just words. It carries culture, community, and a whole way of being with people in their pain.

View the Instagram video below:

Mzansi expats share their own stories

South Africans in the comments on the page were quick to pile on with their own translation disasters:

@barbrrra wrote:

"Shame man, that's hectic. Strongs."

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@ifranciine shared:

"I once said 'aaawwww Shame' and the person responded with 'there is no shame in that.'"

@kabelo_mfeka added:

"Having to remove 'eish' from my vocabulary 😭😭💔💔"

@zeyne_77 laughed:

"'Hectic' is just the perfect response to alles (everything) 🤣🤣🤣"

@nqanawelive said:

"EMzansi (Back home), a young 'Ja neh' (Yes, right) gets the job done. If I give you a 'Hade' (Wow, rough), I've practically solved your problems 🤷🏾‍♂️"

More Briefly News stories on expats

• Wandile Dlamini jokingly taunted South African expats by showing off a braai, meat, and Savanna in a viral video that had Mzansi laughing.
• An American expat living in South Africa was torn between which city to move to next, saying each province offers a unique experience and has something different to offer.
• A South African bride moved to Mzansi with an emotional wedding speech thanking her European husband for choosing her out of millions and proving that true love still exists.

Source: Briefly News