Culture Craze

ShxtsNGigs in South Africa: Hype, Heat, and a History That Won’t Be Forgotten

Published

2 months ago

July 29, 2025

Chiraag

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The British podcast duo plan to hit Joburg and Cape Town in 2026, but South Africans still remember the ‘gibberish’ moment

James Duncan and Fuhad Dawodu, better known as ShxtsNGigs, are finally making their way to South Africa with their Daddy’s Home live tour in early 2026. Known for their raw banter, viral “icks,” and outrageous takes on relationships, sex, and social media, the UK-based duo have built a cult following across platforms. But while some local fans are excited, others haven’t quite forgiven them for a past online blunder that rubbed Mzansi the wrong way.

Jetting in with jokes… and baggage

The tour kicks off on 24 January 2026 at The Golden Dome in Johannesburg, followed by a stop at Cape Town’s Grand Arena, GrandWest, on 27 January. The announcement dropped via a flashy promo video on social media, featuring the pair calling South African dancer and entertainer Robot Boii from a private jet, asking him to teach them local moves. The tone? Playful. The intention? Clear. But not everyone’s laughing.

Reactions were split almost immediately. While some fans can’t wait to see the podcast legends in person, others were quick to point out the awkward history the pair have with South African audiences, especially X (formerly Twitter) users.

The ‘gibberish’ controversy still lingers

In 2023, Duncan and Dawodu landed themselves in hot water after mocking the way South Africans tweet in multiple languages. During one of their “Twitter Hall of Fame” segments, they reacted to a viral thread where users shared personal stories about friendship betrayals. One standout tweet read, “When she moved in with my boyfriend.” The issue? It was part of a distinctly South African thread where people often switch between English and their home languages, a common and celebrated norm in local online culture.

Instead of embracing the linguistic diversity, the duo called the language-switching “gibberish” and “mouth noise,” saying they felt left out of the conversation. Unsurprisingly, the backlash was swift.

They did eventually apologise, saying they use the term “gibberish” for anything they don’t understand, but for many, the damage was done. And judging by the latest social media reactions, the wound hasn’t quite healed.

South Africans are not forgetting the ‘gibberish’ moment

Not everyone was excited about the duo’s return. Some users on X called out the pair’s past comments about local languages, with one critic saying they should not expect to be welcomed after mocking the way South Africans communicate online.

Another user wrote that the 2023 remarks showed disrespect toward the country’s rich linguistic diversity and urged others not to support the tour.

Still, the podcast’s loyal fans in Mzansi are looking past the incident, with many eager to snap up tickets before they sell out. For them, the controversy was a cultural misunderstanding, not a dealbreaker.

Can comedy and controversy co-exist?

There’s no doubt ShxtsNGigs have struck a nerve, and that might be exactly why some fans love them. Their rise has been fuelled by brutal honesty, chaos, and zero-filter commentary. But in a country like South Africa, where identity, language, and culture are so deeply tied to pride and politics, careless jokes land harder.

Their upcoming shows could either cement their popularity or spotlight just how far they still have to go in understanding the people they want to entertain.

One thing’s for sure: South Africa will be watching.