What is 'spinning', the very popular motorsport in South Africa ?

Le “spinning” attire de plus en plus de monde au fil des années EPA – NIC BOTHMA

The screeching of tires echoes across a vacant lot east of Soweto: Nalo Jivhuho, a 40-year-old “spinner”, skids from one vehicle to another in a cloud of smoke.

In her black BMW with the logo, it only takes a moment for the young woman in a tank top and long braids to become Dankie Darlie, her well-known alias in the world of car rodeo, performing skids, donuts (circular figures) and rapid accelerations.

In the heat of the moment, the cross she wears around her neck moves back and forth while her left arm, covered in tattoos, sets the pace…

A practice associated with gangsterism

“When the crowd hears the sound of a tire exploding, people go crazy. If you can do that, you have fire”, this mother of a teenager passionately recounts.

Nalo is one of the few female spinners in South Africa. But she is respected and admired in this environment. Born in the midst of the apartheid regime in Soweto, the practice, initially associated with gangsterism, has become one of the most popular sports. The goal: to perform stunts, figures and skids until a tire punctures.

A few hours before their training in the vast township, an all-male team is busy preparing the cars, parked at the entrance to their home.

Dankie Darlie sets the pace. “She can kill you if you touch her cars”, jokes Nqobile Tshabalala, a mechanic who helps her maintain her BMWs. “I am lucky to have a supportive entourage, because this activity is extremely expensive. Without them, Dankie Darlie would not exist.” If she speaks of herself in the third person, it is to better differentiate the queen of the circuits from Nalo, who works in human resources.

Essence and fury

This universe with the smell of gasoline “is also a way of expressing my femininity. I inspire young girls and that's important because in this sport we are a minority,”, she confides. Nalo has an obsession: not to be considered as “one of the guys”. “Sometimes I spin in a dress or a skirt. I just can't drive with fake nails,”, which are very common here,” “it's impossible”.

Hands on the wheel, she retraces the path she has travelled since her debut in 2019. “It's crazy, look at the car I drive now, it's a guy's car. And I own four of them!“, she says proudly. The mood is festive this afternoon on a circuit south of Johannesburg. Between coolers and hookahs, families and groups of friends cheer on the spinners who come from all over the country.

The racket coupled with the smells of burning rubber and exhaust fumes create the desired intoxication. “I'm a customer of anything that makes noise and a lot of smoke!”, says Chahid, who is watching the show from his burger stand.

A motor sport since 2014

Here, the spinners who roamed the streets of the townships for clandestine rodeos decades ago are performing in front of hundreds of enthusiasts. Some are accompanied by stuntmen who have fun with the car, like a scripted dance.

“When I started, we practiced in the street. “In these supervised events, there is more opportunity and time to practice,” says professional spinner Iksaan “Iki” Khan before hitting the track. Recognized as a motorsport since 2014 in South Africa, spinning is seeking to become official and is developing sponsors.