Photo: TikTok
Video: South Africa’s own Uncle Speed-Cop becomes TikTok sensation
Uncle Speed-Cop has gone viral on TikTok, with more than 89k followers loving his informative videos about the traffic law in South Africa.
Photo: TikTok
A South African traffic officer also referred to as Uncle Speed-Cop has become a TikTok sensation for all the right reasons.
WHY DO PEOPLE LOVE HIM SO?
With a whopping 89k followers on TikTok, traffic officer Stephan Esterhuizen from Polokwane is now the go-to guy for questions about the traffic laws in South Africa.
Esterhuizen told Rapport he was introduced to the TikTik by his daughters, aged 24 and 20, who sent him clips to watch via WhatsApp.
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He started an account last year where he made jokes and answered people’s questions. It is clear people can’t get enough of him, and he now posts videos daily.
“That’s how it all started. I answered one person’s question, and then it had this snowball effect.”
ESTERHUIZEN SAID THE REACTION TO HIS VIDEOS HAS BEEN AMAZING
Going by the callsign Victor 25, or “Oom Spietkop” (Uncle Speed-cop), Esterhuizen said he was amazed by the reaction to his videos.
With over 24 years of experience as a traffic officer, Esterhuizen has extensive knowledge of South African road laws.
However, he’s not shy to admit when he doesn’t know an answer or got something wrong.
“Sometimes, the guys who work on the road don’t get all the amendments. TikTok has helped me with that because now I go and look on the department’s website.
“If I don’t know and answer, then I go and look for it,” said Esterhuizen.
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HE HAS OVER 24 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A TRAFFIC OFFICER
He added that one of the things that encourage him to continue to make videos is the fact that so few people know about new laws. Esterhuizen also explained that he believes it is a service he is offering on TikTok.
“I don’t see it as my duty, but as a service that I give on TikTok,” he said.
Esterhuizen said that he finds his work satisfying and even fulfilling, but the negative image of traffic officers is disheartening.
“It hurts me as a regular officer because people’s tendency and perception out there is that all traffic officers are corrupt,” he said.
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