“Educate Them, Sisi”: SA Woman Defends Airlink Flyover in Spicy Letter to the World, Mzansi Moved
- Ncumisa Fandesi wrote a bold open letter after international audiences panicked over Airlink's low-altitude Cape Town stadium flyover
- She reminded critics that South Africa has a long history of daring achievements, from heart transplants to precision car spinning
- South Africans rallied behind her response, saying foreign criticism misunderstood the country's culture of boldness
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Source: Facebook
A South African woman has shut down international criticism of the Airlink stadium flyover with a fiery open letter that had locals cheering. On Facebook, Ncumisa Fandesi posted her response on 31 August 2026, after footage of Airlink's low-altitude flyover over a Cape Town stadium went viral and drew alarmed reactions from viewers abroad. Rather than apologise or explain, she leaned all the way in.
In her letter, Fandesi argued that South Africa runs on boldness, not foreign validation. She pointed to the country's track record of world-firsts, including Dr Christiaan Barnard's pioneering heart transplant, and reminded critics that the flyover was not reckless but meticulously rehearsed and executed by professional pilots.
Fandesi aims at global hypocrisy
She also addressed the now-famous spectator footage of someone shouting "Yoh! Yoh! Yoh!" during the flyover, which many international viewers interpreted as a cry of terror. Fandesi was having none of it. She explained that "Yoh" is a distinctly South African expression that can signal shock, admiration, excitement or awe, and that context matters enormously when you are not from here.
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Her letter did not stop at defending the flyover. Ncumisa also took a pointed jab at global hypocrisy, noting that while other countries quietly pretend their controversial leaders do not exist, South Africa openly acknowledges figures like Minister Jonasi Gomora. She framed this as a sign of national honesty rather than dysfunction. She went on to remind detractors that precision driving and aerial stunts have been performed safely in South Africa for decades, comparing car spinning culture to the kind of skill-based daring that the country has always celebrated.
Read Ncumisa Fandesi's full open letter in the Facebook post below:
Mzansi weighs in
South Africans in the comments were completely in her corner:
@Wendy Bowyer van Blerk said:
"Professor Mashudu Tshifularo and his team at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria performed the world's first middle-ear transplant using 3D-printed bones in March 2019. We also have this guy."
@Evanenzi E Chinyamakobvu Jaxa wrote:
"Yoh 🤣 you nailed it, girl, 😂."
@Maki Makzo Thekiso added:
"There's no better explanation than this, sis. And we don't owe them any explanation, but nje (just), just for control."
@Mpolokeng Parkies said:
"Educate them, sister, bayasirasela (they are making too much noise). They're busy projecting their fears on us, but I also sense an element of jealousy."
@Mvunelo Sidima declared:
"This is where you drop the mic 🎤 and leave the room! You cooked, ate and left no crumbs; did the dishes and cleaned out!"
@Cardi RichStev said:
"Love it 😂❤️."
3 Briefly News articles about Airlink's stadium flyover
- Airlink’s low-altitude stadium flyover in Cape Town sparked viral international debate, with South Africans proudly defending the impressive display of local aviation skill.
- Comedian Bouwer Bosch entertained South Africans with a viral parody skit depicting a fictional pilot pitching increasingly wild stunts following Airlink’s low-altitude Cape Town stadium flyover.
- Airlink defended its dramatic low-altitude DHL Stadium flyover by two Embraer jets, confirming the manoeuvre was fully approved by aviation authorities and flown within strict safety limits by six senior captains.
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Source: Briefly News
