Kayla Oliphant talks spinning and doing 'fun' stunts with David Blaine

JOHANNESBURG - With its distinctive blend of stunts, acrobatics, and burning tyres, spinning has emerged as South Africa's fastest-growing motorsport, it’s a small wonder that it would be featured in a show highlighting remarkable and mind-blowing feats.

"Spinning" was invented in South African townships in the late 1980s and is now recognised as a motorsport. There are risks associated with spinning, much like in most high-speed motorsports.

Serious injuries could arise from a technical malfunction or a poorly timed stunt involving balancing on the bonnet, sunroof, or door handle.

One of the most competitive drifters in South Africa, Kayla Oliphant, is featured on National Geographic's David Blaine: Do Not Attempt, a new six-part series that follows the magician as he experiences the world through awe-inspiring individuals in several countries, including South Africa.

Oliphant, who fell in love with the sport at the age of 14, began spinning when her father bought her a BMW 320, referred to as "gusheshe" in SA township slang, and taught her the fundamentals.

She then taught herself freestyle drifting and eventually rose to become one of the best spinners in the nation.

During Tuesday's Johannesburg premiere of the show, Oliphant shared her experience of filming with Blaine.

"It was fun teaching him and things. It took some time. We were there about a day and a half, teaching him the things. He asked me what stunt I would choose. I chose the suicide slide because that was my signature move. I also felt that was the safest one to do."

Oliphant hopes that her participation in the show will put a bigger spotlight on the sport and hopefully result in more sponsorships.

"Spinning is the fastest-growing motorsport in South Africa. This will just give us another platform to showcase what South Africans can do and how far we actually want it to go," she said.

"My goal is actually to have a school within the long run, because I get a lot of females coming up to me asking me, do I have classes and things. Being based in Kimberley, it's quite far to travel from Johannesburg to Kimberley. And the economy in Kimberley, people can't really afford to attend the school because, I mean, the amount of money that needs to go into fixing the cars, the tires and things. So, we as spinners, not just me and Jabu, I mean, like a lot of the spinners in the game would like to get sponsorships. If we do get sponsorships, they'll be with us for about a few months and then they fade away because the cost is that high, especially with maintaining the vehicle, having to service the car almost every 3 minutes."

The show will also feature Blaine taking part in other jaw-dropping stunts with South Africans, some involving snakes and even sharks. It will debut on DStv 181 and Starsat 220 on 28 March at 18:50 (CAT).