“We Are the Best”: Russian Travellers Open Up About the Safety and Warmth of South Africans

• Two Russian tourists shared their honest impressions of South Africa during a street interview in Johannesburg on 14 October 2026
• The visitors said locals were far friendlier and the streets far safer than the warnings they received before travelling
• South Africans viewers erupted with pride and humour after the video went viral on Instagram

Two Russian tourists visiting Johannesburg gave South Africa an unexpected endorsement after a street interview captured their candid thoughts on the country. The video, shared on 14 October 2026 by Instagram creator @_kyuba, showed the pair opening up about what life on South African streets actually felt like compared to what they had been told before booking their trip. Friends and family had warned them about crime and theft, painting a picture of a dangerous destination. What they found was something quite different.

SA's warmth won over the visitors

The two women said walking around Johannesburg felt far safer than they had expected. What stood out most, though, was not the absence of danger but the presence of joy. Locals greeted them with smiles, danced in the streets, and made them feel genuinely welcome at every turn. Their advice to anyone considering a visit was simple: be friendly, smile back, and let Mzansi do the rest. The reactions captured something real about how South Africans see themselves: a nation that, whatever its challenges, has never struggled to make a stranger feel at home.

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Watch the street interview that got Mzansi talking in the Instagram reel below:

Mzansi reacts with pride and humour

The clip quickly gained traction, with South Africans at home and abroad weighing in on what it means to have international visitors speak so warmly about the country. Comments poured in from South Africans who were both proud and amused by the video:

@monsieur_le_gaucher wrote:

"Lol, I spent eight years there without being robbed. That's because I'm lucky. Trust me."

@immapolin said:

"My favourite girls ❤️."

@kyubaonsteriods reacted:

"Facts, we are the best 😂."

@i_like_my_vans_dirty noted:

"Bro has Russians in a video, that's crazy."

@kyubaonsteriods added:

"Viva SA 🤩."

@cherwin.lee joked:

"Yer, Russian? Everyone is here."

Other articles about unsafety in Mzansi

• South Africa ranked dead last out of 144 countries in a global safety report after finding that only 33% of residents feel safe walking alone at night.
• A content creator shared a video detailing the country's five most dangerous cities based on murder rates per 100,000 residents, shocking many social media users.
• Briefly News reported that an American man living in Johannesburg shared a video detailing how his phone was snatched from him in a high-end suburb north of the city.

Source: Briefly News