Cape Town's ‘dancing guardjie’ could land a smoking sponsorship deal

Cape Town’s most popular dancing taxi guard‚ or “guardjie”‚ Nathan Swartz‚ could land himself a smoking hot advertising deal after he was contacted by a major cigarette brand.

Swartz‚ who is known for the sultry dance moves which he performs in traffic on highways and at intersections‚ shot to fame recently after passengers started filming him dance.

Nearly 20 videos posted on social media of the Hanover Park resident entertaining passengers and road users alike‚ have been viewed over 250‚000 times.

“They asked me if I would change my [cigarette] brand and I think it has to do with their advertising‚” the man better known as "Diempie" said of the approach from the company. “They said they would get back to me [on Monday].

“Last week I also did a show with comedian Waashief Piekaan‚ where I had to do my dance.”

Swartz‚ who has been a “guardjie” for seven years‚ has also been invited onto radio shows with people wanting to know exactly what motivates him.

“The dancing only started in June‚” he told TimesLIVE. “It was one morning when the traffic was hectic‚ people were moody and the passengers started moaning.

“I couldn’t take it anymore and so I asked the driver to turn up the music and I opened the sliding door and started dancing on the N2‚ and people enjoyed it.

“Now the taxi is fuller all day everyday and it never used to be like that. People recognise me and they’re like ‘I want to be in that taxi’.”

Collide by Lady Zamar is Swartz’s favourite song to dance to and he says he plans ahead when deciding to bust a move.

“I first check where I do what I do. If we approach a robot and I see it’s going to be red when we get to it‚ [then] that is when I will decide to throw a move. But a few seconds before the light changes I make sure I’m back the van and the door is closed.”

The father of one said he planned to continue dancing because it is what he loved the most.

“I am doing this to keep everyone happy and people thank me for it.”