Revved Up By Itu Motuba
There are two things South Africans certainly don't lack: a great but, sometimes questionable, sense of humour and plenty of creativity. Put those two together, and you get some truly interesting vehicles driving past you, often identified long before you seethe driver, simply by the accessories they have chosen for their cars.
There are generally two types of people in this world: those who keep their cars clean, minimal, and serious, and those who treat their cars as extensions of their personalities.
I'd like to talk about the second group, who seem to be in the majority in this wonderful country of ours.
Fellow South Africans, you know exactly what I'm talking about. We personalise our cars as if we're dressing them for a night out. Sometimes the results are questionable. But they're also iconic.
Let's start with the obvious: car eyelashes.
By now, we've all seen them. Logically, they make absolutely no sense. Why does your car have lashes? Who is it trying to impress? Who gave it that confidence?
And yet, I can't lie. When I see a cute little car batting its lashes at me in traffic, I smile .It's giving personality. It's giving "I'm just a girl." It's giving main-character energy in the Checkers parking lot. Honestly, how can you frown at a flirting Ford Fiesta? At the very least, it makes the endless search for parking a little more entertaining.
Then there are the steering wheel covers. Fluffy. Pink. Bedazzled. Sometimes all three at once. In theory, they're impractical. Your hands are sweating, the fluff is shifting around but we can’t help but love them. They are soft-life necessities. They are comfort. They are the automotive equivalent of saying, "I deserve to feel cute, even while sitting in traffic."
Of course, no discussion about quirky car accessories would be complete without mentioning dashboard shrines.
You know the ones. A tiny Buddha. A dancing hula girl. Maybe a miniature Bible. Sometimes all three in one vehicle because, apparently, there's no need to choose between spiritual protection and good vibes. Add a rosary hanging from the rear-view mirror, and you've got yourself a fully decorated mobile sanctuary.
Every speed bump turns it into a live performance.
Then there are the air fresheners that are doing the absolute most. Not a subtle hint of vanilla. No, your car smells like a fruit salad, a bakery, and a luxury hotel lobby all at the same time. It's confusing, but also oddly impressive. And somehow the scent always hits you five seconds after you've already climbed in.
Delayed impact. Pure drama.
We also need to talk about seat covers that don't match anything else in the car—although if we're lucky, they might at least coordinate with the steering wheel cover.
Animal print in a red car, paired with blue floor mats and a random cushion on the backseat "for comfort." It shouldn't work. It really shouldn't. But somehow it does.
There's something charming about a car that refuses to be constrained by colour coordination.
Then we come to one of my personal favourites: stickers.
Baby on Board. Princess on Board. No One on Board — Just Vibes.
Some are motivational. Some are mildly threatening. Some are so confusing that you spend the next traffic light trying to figure them out.
But they all communicate one thing very clearly: this is my space. And honestly? I respect it.
Sports team stickers deserve a special mention too. Whether you're supporting rugby, soccer, cricket, or Formula 1, these little decals often create an instant sense of camaraderie with fellow fans. A quick hoot, a thumbs-up, or a knowing nod at a traffic light can make a stranger feel like part of your tribe. So yes, they're definitely there for the vibes, but they're also doing the Lord's work when it comes to helping people find their people.
And finally, we have the infamous customised number plates.
At first glance, they seem a little indulgent, as though the owner wants the entire world to know exactly who they are and what they're about. But there's something undeniably entertaining about them.
Some are clever. Some are hilarious. Some require the decoding skills of a cryptographer. Yet when you're stuck in traffic, trying to figure out what "L8RBOI" or "QWEN4EVR" is supposed to mean, it can become a surprisingly effective way to pass the time.
I know most of us have a love/hate relationship with them. Because as much as we laugh at these quirky accessories, they're doing something bigger. They're turning something functional into something personal. They're softening the stress of traffic ,long commutes, and everyday life.
They remind us that even in a space as ordinary as a car, we can choose joy. We can choose self-expression. We can choose a little bit of nonsense simply because it makes us happy.
So yes, car eyelashes are ridiculous. Fluffy steering wheels are chaotic.
Dashboard decorations are slightly unhinged. But they're also fun.
And in a country where driving can sometimes feel like an obstacle course, maybe fun is exactly what we need.
So go ahead. Add the lashes. Hang the air freshener. Bedazzle the steering wheel if you must. It is the smaller things in life after all.
