The last thing passengers want behind the wheel of a taxi is a mystery, but in Johannesburg, South Africa, that’s what riders are finding. Apparently, a certain taxi driver doesn’t speak to riders, but he occasionally meows as he makes the back forth drive from Fourways to Bree. The reactions to such claims are mixed, but one thing is certain.
Social media is going crazy for the tale of mystery…
Twitter user @Thandoo_Zuma had ridden in this taxi before and couldn’t believe what she’d encountered. After a repeat experience, she took to Twitter to assure herself she wasn’t losing her mind. Fellow riders confirmed they’d been in the meowing man’s taxi too.
https://twitter.com/Thandoo_Zuma/status/1198272863301783552
So rattled by the experience, Zuma bailed out of the ride early, writing, “I got off in Braam and that’s not even where I was going, I wanna go report this at the Association but I feel like they’ll just laugh at me”.
Perhaps Zuma wouldn’t have been bothered by the situation so much, but on her first ride in the taxi, she asked the lady next to her what was happening with the driver. The fellow passenger calmly whispered “isalamuzi”. As if this one word explained the odd situation. To Zuma, the word cleared up nothing, “I’m not sure what that means”.
Twiiter user @Bryan_mbh explained in a response to Zuma, “‘Isalamusi’ is a magic that changes anything to be something else.” His theory? Magic transformed the driver from human to cat.
Twitter Confirms
Whatever the explanation, users in the Twitter-sphere have shared their experiences in the cat-man’s taxi, reporting feeling fear and even physical symptoms. After exiting the vehicle, they say things still felt strange for awhile.
The most traumatizing thing guys. I swear!!! No joke
The first time this thing happened, I lost my heartbeat for a good 30 minutes @kaamil_alli remember!? 😭
I’m triggered https://t.co/ITQS5PW9GA
— obakeng (@BlvckAsh_) November 23, 2019
Zuma also had intentions of jotting down the license plate number so she could report the situation to officials, but she forgot both times. This deepened thoughts of supernatural interaction as perhaps the cat-man also practiced mind control. While some Tweeters expressed fear at the strange situation, many found the whole thing downright funny. A search of hashtags #Bree, #BreeCat, and #CatDriver reveal hilarity.
https://twitter.com/salih_mobara/status/1198679977350324225
https://twitter.com/pmcafrica/status/1198455772457426944
https://twitter.com/LonwaboMfundisi/status/1198364277947740161
Even the City of Johannesburg got in on the fun…
A driving licence card needs to be renewed every five years, failing to renew your license could lead to fines, insurance companies also wont cover motorists driving with an expired license in the case of an accident
If you see #CatDriver today, let them know ☝🏽 #BuyaMthetho ^NS pic.twitter.com/MuEoi6yvyv
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) November 25, 2019
On the Lookout for the Cat-Man Taxi
Zuma gave a description of the van so riders could be on the lookout, “it’s a white quantum and the bottom half is purple/maroonish”. She also mentioned catching the taxi between six and seven p.m. Its up to taxi riders whether they want to hunt down the cat-man taxi. Some people seem terrified of the notion, while others want the strange experience.
https://twitter.com/jordanzanele1/status/1198657787347316736
The taxi driving cat-man is quickly obtaining urban legend status. Will we ever know if he’s a cat in a man’s body or if he’s just antisocial?
H/T: News 24 South Africa
Feature Image: @Thandoo_Zuma and @CityofJoburgZA