Uber
Photo Credit: Brian Van Hansen

An Uber ride that didn’t just get Brian from A to B, it gave him a front-row seat to an unexpected goosebumps performance!

 

Cape Town, South Africa (18 August 2026) – Talent can be found in the most unexpected places in South Africa. At shopping malls, in kitchens and even in Uber rides…

Brian Van Hansen requested a ride on the e-hailing app from his pick-up in Kirstenbosch, Cape Town. Van Hansen has made Good Things Guy headlines before for celebrating talent in unexpected places.

Little did he know that his next Uber ride would be where he’d discover the next gifted performer.

“Not your usual Uber ride for sure.” he wrote. “I heard Pontien Mutombo listening to opera music when he picked me up in Kirstenbosch and played him some of the videos I recorded of Simiso Radebe and Blandine Leroy, when he started singing along.”

Pontien performed Nella Fantasia, an Italian opera song based on the theme ‘Grabriel’s Oboe’ from the 1986 film, The Mission.

By the end of it, our jaws were on the floor, along with almost 60,000 others who have since viewed the video posted to Facebook by Brian. Many commenters were encouraging, saying that Pontien belongs on stage and not behind the wheel.

“I was totally overwhelmed and told him I wanted to record him singing something, so wow, goosebumps!” Brian wrote. 

Pontien’s voice is a beautiful reminder that talent can appear absolutely anywhere. Here’s hoping this unexpected performance opens a few more doors for him!


Sources: Linked above. 
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About the Author

Savanna Douglas is a writer for Good Things Guy.

She brings heart, curiosity, and a deep love for all things local to every story she tells – whether it be about conservation, mental health, or SA's everyday heroes. When she’s not scouting for good things, you’ll likely find her on a game drive, lost in a book, or serenading Babycat – her four-legged son.

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