Since its launch in 2005 – YouTube has changed a hell of a lot. The platform is basically unrecognizable to early users, and is now the second largest search engine and social media site after Google. What’s the reason for YouTubes popularity? Instant gratification, relevant content – and it’s free! The top YouTubers in the world earn fortunes for their uploads, with some pulling in as much as $22 million a year. South African YouTubers also have a piece of the pie – clocking in millions of views and providing content to Mzansi. So, who are the top 5 South African YouTubers, and should you subscribe?
Top 5 South African YouTubers
5. SuzelleDIY
SuzelleDIY is a popular YouTube channel that first came around in 2014. Creator Julia Anastaspoulos garnered millions of views as a result of her quirky character Suzelle, and legitimately informative DIY videos. One of her most popular uploads, How To Make a Cinderblock Bench, has more than 2.7 million views. SuzelleDIY has also partnered with businesses like Cell C and Takealot, boosting her mainstream status.
4. Caspar Lee
Caspar Lee is an incredibly popular South African vlogger and YouTuber, who has since moved to the UK. He’s been around the block for a while, and has amassed around 6.99 million YouTube subscribers. Over the last few months, his channel has gone slightly dormant – probably a major disappointment for his legion of pre-teen and teenage fans who tune in for prank content and daily vlogs.
3. Sibu Mpanza
Sibu Mpanza has around 23K subscribers – so his channel is considerably smaller than others on this list. Still, he gets an honorable mention for his funny and relatable content, which often documents his life and relationship with his girlfriend Buhle Lupindo. They’ve partnered with big brands like Suzuki, Netflix, and Spree, and work together to create content that is as professional as it is fun.
2. Ben Brown
Ben Brown is a British ex-pat living in South Africa, who started his YouTube channel in the early 2010s. He’s known for his superb visual content, like his Visual Vibes videos, as well as his daily vlogs. Ben has amassed over 600,000 subscribers, and his most popular video has more than 10 million views. Ben has been posting slightly more, ahem, esoteric content of late – so if you’re tuning in, be prepared for some Shroom talk, and the possibility of a spiritual awakening.
1.Dan Mace
Dan Mace is one of South Africa’s biggest YouTubers, with over 700,000 subscribers. His most popular video, Falling Off a 10 Story Building (the feeling), has over 1.2 million views. Dan is known for his vlogs, visual content, and inspirational videos. He’s one of SA’s most popular YouTubers for a reason. Recently, Dan posted a video detailing his experience with the Covid-19 virus – which has amassed over a million views.
Subscribe to Top SA YouTube Channels
Look, SA still has a relatively small YouTube scene – at least compared to other countries. However, it’s important that we support local creators in whatever way we can, so head to their channels, watch a couple of videos, and maybe hit that subscribe button.
