Mxit is Back. For Real.
APRIL FOOLS! This article was run in partnership with Eskom se Push, who for a day, rebranded their app to a retro, Mxit styled theme. We did so in honour of Mxit, a true South African legend that inspired so many of us to pursue careers in tech or even build tech startups ourselves.
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Original article as published 1 April 2025
In a bold move set to shake up the tech landscape, Mxit — once the world’s largest mobile social network — is officially back.
After years of silence, the iconic South African platform is making its return, with a design true to its roots and a renewed mission: connecting people, communities and (perhaps) helping you figure out when the power’s coming back on.
Launched in the pre-smartphone era, Mxit became a cultural touchstone for millions of South Africans, offering a way to chat, flirt and form real connections in the early 2000s. Now, it’s returning to its original vision — with a few… practical enhancements.
Mxit never really left..It's been in our hearts and we just waited for the right time to come back. And that time is now. Because honestly — have you seen what social media has become?
says Herman, co-founder and now Head of UX at the newly rebooted Mxit.
Return Of An SA Legend
The resurrection was spearheaded by a small but passionate team, including Intern Jeff, who originally pitched the idea after sharing a deeply moving story about meeting “the love of his life” in a 2008 Mxit chatroom called “Bokkies4Lyf_WC”. Though she ghosted him after a week, the dream lived on.
Mxit was never just an app. It was a movement. It was gritty. It was orange. And it worked on a Motorola Razr.
says Dan, another co-founder and now Chief Strategy Officer of Vibe Restoration.
While the core Mxit experience remains unchanged — yes, your status can still be “available but not really” — the platform is subtly modernised. Early testers report a suspiciously helpful feature that “somehow knows your neighbourhood’s vibe and Eskom status”, though official sources refused to comment.
New Features, Same Vibes
One of the biggest features of the reboot? Love. Not the algorithmic swipe-right kind, but real, blurry-profile-picture, pixel-heart love. The team believes South Africans are ready to connect again. Properly. Through their phones. Like it’s 2007.
The design? Still unmistakably retro. Nostalgia-forward. And designed to boost the scientifically proven likelihood of a spontaneous digital hookup.
When asked why now, the team responded:
“Because someone had to fix social media. And bring back chatrooms. And make statuses matter again.”
Mxit is back. Tell your friends. Tell your ex. Set your status. Vibe accordingly.
Get Mxit here now