“That Was Magnificent”: SA Goes Wild for Close-Up Video of Airlink Jets Skimming DHL Stadium Roof

• Pretoria photographer Tumelo Mabua filmed two Airlink Embraer jets from atop the DHL Stadium roof during a low-altitude flypast
• The aircraft cleared the stadium roof by as little as 12.5 metres, sparking debate about whether the stunt was safe
• Airlink confirmed the flyover was fully approved by aviation authorities and flown by six senior captains

A Pretoria-based photographer got what he called the best seat in the house on 29 August 2026. Tumelo Mabua was standing on the curved roof of Cape Town's DHL Stadium when two Airlink jets screamed overhead just moments before the Springboks faced the All Blacks in the second Test of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.

Mabua captured the close-range flypast on video and posted it to Facebook, where it racked up over 1,700 likes and hundreds of shares. In the clip, he can be heard shouting:

"No way! No way! Yes, boys!" as the two jets tore past with coloured smoke trails.

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The two aircraft, an Embraer E190 painted green for the Springboks and an Embraer E195 painted black for the All Blacks, departed Cape Town International Airport just minutes apart before making their pass over the packed 55,000-capacity stadium.

How close did the Jets fly?

Analysis by Flightradar24 suggested the lead aircraft cleared the stadium roof by roughly 12.5 to 14 metres, which is about 41 to 46 feet. The stadium itself stands approximately 50 meters or 164 feet tall. Camera angles made the jets appear even closer, and the footage quickly divided viewers online.

Airlink defended the manoeuvre, saying it was carefully planned and rehearsed in coordination with the South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Navigation Services. The airline confirmed both aircraft flew at around 150 knots and were each crewed by three senior captains. Flight data from both planes showed the passes were performed within approved safety limits.

The Springboks went on to win the match 33-26, levelling the series at 1-1.

See Tumelo Mabua's viral footage from the stadium rooftop here.

Mzansi reacts to the Airlink flypast

South Africans in the comments had plenty to say:

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@Lloyd Carter wrote:

"Think the pilots were told to fly 500 metres from the top of the stadium; unfortunately, the pilots thought they meant 500mm 🤣🤣🤣"

@Mitch Mitch said:

"That's RSA for you; we have everything in this country. That was magnificent."

@Laura Steyn shared:

"Man. Now I wish I were you!!!"

@Nelson DW Mufeti-Haihambo noted:

"✈️🇿🇦 That flyover looks effortless… but I can promise you, it wasn't!!!"

@Jacques Herselman asked:

"Did you see the pilot smiling at you?"

@Triple-d Dolo explained:

"It is always a calculated flight plan. The crew knows the height of the stadium brim from the ground, and inside the cockpit, the altimeter measures their height."

See the Airlink photos and video here.

More on Airlink and South African airlines

• Briefly News reported that an Airlink crew faced an unexpected situation after a passenger travelling from St Helena Island died from hantavirus.
• A South African traveller compared the landings of FlySafair, Lift, Airlink and SAA, but one airline's touchdown style got Mzansi talking.
• Airlink stepped in to help after a tiny hermit crab accidentally travelled hundreds of kilometres from the Eastern Cape to Johannesburg.

Source: Briefly News