Rent a Bakkie, Boet

Johannesburg is a smelting pot of culture and language, so visitors to South Africa’s largest city will undoubtedly come across a few words and phrases that are distinct to the region and country.

It’s all in the vernacular

Don’t be alarmed when you’re called “boet”, “bra” or “bru” – in almost all cases, it’s meant in a friendly, welcoming manner.

Another word that might be completely foreign to the, uh, foreign ear would be “bakkie”. Bakkie is the South African equivalent of the widely known pick-up truck. The word is derived from the diminutive of the Afrikaans term bak, which literally means bowl.  Another popular derivative of the word is from the English term “buggy”, referring to the old two-wheeled horse-drawn cart used on farms.

Bakkies are pretty common on South African roads, not just in the outlying areas, but the city as well. Many people in Johannesburg make use of bakkies for carting loads for their business, for family trips or just for general versatility. 

Your next rental?

Visitors to the city might want to consider renting a bakkie for their next trip rather than trying to cram in their 30 kilograms of luggage into a compact car.

The bakkie is also a lot more flexible than the average rented vehicle, so if there’s going to be an impromptu trip to the Kruger National Park or an exploration of the Highveld, a tidy sedan might not cut it.

In fact, there aren’t many reasons not to rent a bakkie when visiting Johannesburg, especially if you want to get the local experience, boet!

Rent a bakkie with Woodford Car Hire, with free kilometres thrown in and super waivers that will ensure you’re protected, no matter where you choose to go with your bakkie.