For one Sunday, the only traffic on Sandton Drive had no engines, wore fancy dress and occasionally lost a wheel. The Livingroom Referees took the crown as South Africa’s eighth Red Bull Box Cart Race rolled into Johannesburg.
Sandton Drive is usually where Joburg goes to get somewhere fast. On Sunday, 4 October, it became the place to slow down, grab a seat and watch 57 homemade carts throw themselves down the hill in the name of glory.
Red Bull Box Cart Race returned to Johannesburg for the first time since 2018, and the city showed up. Around 22,000 spectators filled the stands and seating areas along the course, watching crews send their gravity-powered creations through jumps, obstacles and a few proudly South African surprises.
With no engines to rely on, the teams had to bring something else to the starting ramp: creativity, nerve, and a cart capable of surviving the hill. Before each run, crews performed a skit at the start line, giving the judges and crowd a taste of what was coming. Then it was time to let gravity do the work.
Some carts flew. Others came apart in spectacular fashion. Every run, however, gave the crowd something to cheer about. Speed was only part of the equation, with teams judged on speed, creativity and showmanship. That meant the fastest cart wasn’t automatically taking home the title.
And this year, the crown went to Johannesburg’s Livingroom Referees. The winning crew arrived with a rugged, low-slung Red Bull-branded cart built for chaos, featuring chunky off-road tyres and a sturdy open-frame design. Their start-line performance set the tone, with Mandoza’s classic “Nkalakatha” providing the soundtrack as the crew danced and worked the crowd.
They doubled down on the local energy with green Springbok-inspired jerseys, helmets, and green-and-gold face paint before launching into their run. For the team, the victory was about more than what happened on the track.
“For us, it was all about innovation, having a great team, and having our families behind us. The time and effort we put into building the car together made the whole experience amazing. We never took shortcuts. We made sure we had proper welding, proper steel, proper wheels, and that everything was built to the best of our ability. Once we had done that, we left the rest to the track.”
Behind them, The Gru Crew claimed second place with a banana-inspired cart that kept the crowd entertained from start to finish. The bright yellow creation, packed with playful details and plenty of personality, proved that a podium finish doesn’t have to take itself too seriously. The team admitted they were surprised to walk away with second place, making the result even sweeter.
The Rapid Response Unit completed the podium in third. The team was proud of what they managed to build and how they came together to bring their concept to life. But they weren’t treating third place as the finish line. With another race already on their minds, the team believes more time and experience could put them in contention for an even bigger result next time.
That competitive spirit has always been part of the South African Box Cart Race story. From Team Flower Power in Durban in 2004 to the Potjie Boytjies and their potjie pot on wheels in Bo-Kaap, the country’s champions have traditionally been teams that understand the assignment: build something ridiculous, tell a good story, and make the crowd remember you. The Livingroom Referees have now added their name to that proudly local roll of honour.
South Africa remains the only African nation to have hosted Red Bull Box Cart Race. Sunday’s event marked the country’s eighth edition of the global competition, which began in Brussels in 2000 and has since attracted more than five million spectators across 53 countries. In 2026, the event is also taking place in cities including Belfast, London, Denver and Los Angeles.
Joburg may have its supercars, luxury SUVs and traffic jams, but for one Sunday, Sandton Drive belonged to homemade machines, wild ideas and gravity.
And the Livingroom Referees made sure they left with the trophy.
