Another year in the rearview

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Looking back a few years, our 2018 selves thought the battle with listeria and polony was tough. 2019 brought the heartbreaking, untimely death of Uyinene Mrwetyana and (rightfully so) large GBV protests and outrage after her rape and murder. A bright moment that year was our beautiful, graceful Zozi Tunzi crowned as Miss Universe 2019. 

But then, in early 2020, our world changed with news of a new coronavirus spreading quickly across the globe and within a few months Covid-19 was declared a pandemic. Enough said, moving swiftly along.

2021 was welcomed (with less of the usual fanfare and shenanigans) by a nation that had been in various stages of lockdown for 279 days. And for the following 365 days lockdown continued, masks stayed on, wavering curfews remained in place and social distancing was adhered to. Then we started tackling the often disparate views on variants and vaccines. And rioting, poverty, unemployment, corruption. A lot of tragedy, fear and anger.

So… what else did we get up to? What else could we get up to? Many stayed home and expressed ourselves on social media, a lot. Mirror Mirror had a look at what the approximately 9.3 million South African Twitter users had to say about a few slightly less serious topics.  What were some of the things we shared the most as the year came to a close?

Fashion

Some of us just get dressed in the morning, others get *dressed* – clothes can be an expression of your personality, mood and talent – what messages were shared around all things fashion?

      1. @_ThebeMagugu_ – special mention to his petrol green jacket with our constitution printed on the lining, displaying through an intentional tear
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      2. @MandisaFashion – a designer and seamstress in Maboneng who received a lot of love from Twitter
      3. @mabhusulagc – doing her thing and elevating others, looking for female entrepreneurs to supply accessories for Paris Fashion Week – we love that you\’re keeping it local!
      4. @RealBlackCoffee – the man has style, what more can we say – his captioned image “Umtata Fashion Week” said it all
      5. Ghanaian actress, Nana Akua Addo made the list for both her  and her children’s outfits at Glitz Fashion Week
      6. @thuso_thelejane – sincerely asking when the wrinkled t-shirt will become fashionable – this one is a favourite in the office – ironing is the pits!
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      7. Virgil Abloh – SA Twitter paid its respects to the Louis Vuitton designer after his passing in November. He was a force. Our condolences :,(
      8. We have two people sharing the spot – @ceecee_ndaba looking stylish (as usual), dressed by the inimitable Nqobile Nxumalo
      9. @TomiRikhotso – just putting it out there that there may be a fashion show some time in 2022
      10. Last but not least we have @ElsaAngel19 – South Africa shared in her joy at being a red carpet girl, doing interviews and totally looking the part at the British Fashion Awards

 

Sports

Many South Africans are sports mad – from football to rugby, cricket to boxing and the growing women’s sports scene – we are a nation of sports fans and fickle fanatics who immerse ourselves in battle at least once a week. What sporting moments got us talking?

      1. The top spot doesn’t speak to any huge sporting event – it is the relatable tale of going to kids’ sporting events early on cold morning – the life of a parent, courtesy of @unathi_
      2. And then we have the Lesseyton sports field, which cost R15m and caused a stir amongst politicians and the public alike
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      3. @SamuelEtoo – his election as president of the Cameroonian Football Federation in December was well received by South Africans, and congratulations again Mr. Eto’o
      4. Lewis Hamilton – December, the possible controversy and his loss of the Formula One World Title, which would have been his eighth. Mercedes shares the spot, they lodged protests and appeals 
      5. The World Cup Qualifier between Bafana Bafana and Ethiopia – SAFA’s announcement on vaccinated persons getting free entry into FNB Stadium for the match
      6. @BlackEagles_SA – in the news after being bought by @DRIPFootWear, renamed, and kitted out with Drip sponsoring their kit, 
      7. Peter Shalulile & Mamelodi Sundowns – Peter’s goal against Maritzburg United was celebrated far and wide
      8. SAFA, FIFA, CAF and Bafana – SAFA calls for  an investigation into match fixing mid-November
      9. Sabelo Radebe – a warm congratulations from @KaizerChiefs after completing a tertiary qualification – well done Sabelo!
      10. Ronal Koeman – In October Koeman was fired from the La Liga club Barcelona –  the only mention relating to another continent

 

Celebrity and Awards

Celebrity, fame and awards mean different things to people. Sometimes seeing a person achieve success makes you warm and fuzzy, and sometimes less so. Whatever the opinion, quite a few of us spent time discussing all things “awards” related to fame or celebrity.

      1. Appearing in this piece for the second time Drip Footwear & @LekauSehoana – a successful entrepreneur and recipient of  ‘South Africa’s Top 20 Small Business & Entrepreneurship Award’ from the NSBC and World Famous Events
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      2. While no specific celebrity or public figure was mentioned,  Blade Nzimande expressed concern at the increase in the awarding of honorary doctorates by bogus institutions
      3. @LesDaChef Semenya – The co-host of award-winning #CelebrityMysteryBox, his passing was a huge loss felt by many
      4. The GQ Best Dressed 2021 awards – no specific people mentioned, just fashionable celebrities were likely to attend the event
      5. HiPipo –  A Ugandan company that organises the Digital Impact Awards and a number of other notable, uplifting programs and initiatives
      6. @LiquoroseAfije – voting links for the Scream Africa Women Awards were shared on platform
      7. Daniel Kaluuya – the Academy Award winner has been immortalised in a fan’s compilation of clips
      8. @DAdjaye – an award-winning architect and designer Sir David Adjaye plans to bring home the Benin Bronzes, taken by the British army in 1897, during a raid on the Kingdom of Benin (in what is now Nigeria)
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      9. @MakhadziSA – named artist of the year at the All Africa Music Awards (Afrima)
      10. Trevor Noah – the announcement that he was returning as host for the Grammys

 

Hope you’ve enjoyed our breakdown of some of the most shared Twitter content in South Africa – if you have any questions or want to know a little more about something else or what we do, contact us or send us a mail

 

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