"We're International": South African Quantum Taxi Spotted in Oceania Makes Mzansi Proud

• A South African-flagged taxi was filmed at an airport in Kiribati, a small island nation in Oceania
• Travel vlogger @altitudeafrica on TikTok captured the unexpected sighting at 6 am in a TikTok that quickly went viral
• South Africans online were divided over how the taxi ended up so far from home

A travel vlogger got more than he bargained for during an early morning stopover in Kiribati. At 6 am, before a single plane had landed, TikToker @altitudeafrica spotted something very familiar sitting in the airport parking area: a taxi bearing the South African flag, thousands of kilometres from home.

The clip, filmed on 9 September 2026, shows the creator standing outside in the quiet dawn air, visibly amused. Kiribati is a remote island nation in Oceania, making the sighting all the more unexpected.

The text in the video by @altitudeafrica identified it as "A South African taxi in Kiribati," with a credit to Josh Cahill's YouTube channel. The taxis are assembled in Durban according to the Retail Motor Industry Organisation and are beloved as a common vehicle for public transport. Watch the viral TikTok that started the debate:

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South Africans in the comments could not quite agree on what to make of the sighting:

@SupremeLeader_mochwisi wrote:

"The Quantum is manufactured in SA so that's why they have our flag."

@Thabo said:

"It's a Foton taxi. The brand is not popular in SA, so they export them to neighbouring countries."

@Naledi added:

"They could have exported the ones without the South African flag."

The Mayor joked:

"He's calling our taxi a van."

Lord_Low_Rez gushed:

"We're international😂"

Other Briefly News stories about South Africa's iconic Toyota Quantum taxis

• A South African woman living in Thailand went viral after spotting a local commuter van that closely resembled the famous Toyota Quantum back home.
• High school students made a memorable arrival at their matric dance by pulling up in a fully customised Toyota Quantum taxi complete with loud sound systems and flashing lights.
• A viral TikTok video captured a Johannesburg minibus taxi driver pulling off a mind-boggling parking manoeuvre into an extremely narrow gap between two vehicles.

Source: Briefly News