US vs South Africa

Conversation about the US presidential election dominated social media: with word clouds showing “Trump” and “Biden” as the biggest topics for the week. 

As the election came to a close, South Africans began drawing comparisons between the ANC and the Republican Party. 

@L_Tido tweeted: “Americans complain about Trump but still vote for him. South Africans complain about the ANC but still vote for the party. What does this mean ?????”. The post was well received with more than 250 retweets and a healthy debate within the comments. 

@NtuthukoMbhama2 was critical of people who complained on social media but never actually go to the polls to vote and make changes.

@danielmarven tweeted: “It took Americans 4 years to get tired and get rid of Trump. 26 years later my people think ANC will get better. It’s high time they go”. This post was retweeted close to 900 times and received more than 4,700 likes. 

@kgaugelosteja responded: “The problem in mzansi is there is no strong black alternative. All alternatives are just ANC lite”.

Mbuyiseni Ndlozi explained why the EFF wanted President Trump to lose. He tweeted: “His victory in 2016 gave confidence to right wing racists even here in South Africa; white racist pomposity will tremble when Trump loses!!!”. 

As news reached SA that Joe Biden had managed to secure the 270 electoral college votes needed to become President of the United States, President Cyril Ramaphosa tweeted: “We congratulate President-Elect @JoeBiden and Vice President @KamalaHarris and the American people on your election. We look forward to working with you and deepening our bonds of friendship and cooperation.” His post was retweeted close to 3,000 times and received more than 21,000 likes. 

The EFF tweeted a video of their Commander in Chief calling Trump a crybaby. The video has been viewed more than 13,000 times.

The ACDP official account tweeted: “Breaking: President Trump: Legal votes decide who is president, not the news media.”

@S_Ntsonta responded to the election results with: “Correction: Joe Biden has RIGGED the elections. Plenty of evidence now that is continually being censored.”

@Kus3kuhl3 responded with a video of Biden from 1986 where he spoke out against apartheid: “Whether he rigged them or not I don’t care! He spoke against apartheid and for that he’s my hero”.

A few posts with false information about the US election made their way to South Africa. Colton Duncan, who refers to himself as a “Citizen reporter and video journalist” tweeted what appears to be a public record of Fred Stokes Jr who died on 22 June 2017. Duncan’s post, which was retweeted in South Africa, reads: “On October 9th of this year, 92 year old Nevada resident Fred Stokes Jr. mailed in his ballot. Which really is truly remarkable considering he died three years ago.”

Fact-checking website Snopes researched the claim and rated the information as false: “The ballot was recorded in error due to it being confused with one submitted by a similarly-named relative and was not part of a fraudulent attempt to cast a vote using the identity of a dead person.”

Another popular fake story circulating on social media claims a watermark was secretly added to ballot papers to prove their validity, but the watermarks were missing on the ballots that were counted. Snopes emphatically rated this claim as false. 

Dudu did it

Despite warnings from Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo against naming a whistle-blower who had given evidence to the Zondo Commission, former SAA board chair Dudu Myeni did it — several times.

Myeni revealed the identity of “Mr X”, for which she can be charged.

The hashtag #DuduMyeni and“Dudu Myeni” received 7,598 and 11,000 mentions on Twitter respectively.

Several Twitter users denounced Myeni for refusing to answer questions put to her. Others vented their frustration about the Zondo Commission, saying it was “a monumental farce and a waste of time.”

Many rejected Myeni’s argument that her identity as a black person played a factor in the allegations against her. @Madiboy tweeted: “We cannot allow our blackness to be mortgaged for corruption. These black thieves when they stole they never thought about the man or woman in street. #DuduMyeni”. This tweet received more than 200 retweets and nearly 1,000 likes. 

@HloniMoyake echoed this sentiment in this tweet: “Black crooks use race to make themselves appear as victims. And it is sad that there are many blacks who fall for this bait as if the standard of black excellence is corruption…” This post generated nearly 100 retweets and 403 likes.

Ace in the pack 

Despite the Hawks’ warrant of arrest for ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule in relation to a R255-million Free State asbestos audit contract, he continues to occupy his position among the party’s top six officials.  

Free State Hawks’ spokesperson Lynda Steyn said Magashule was set to appear in court on Friday, 13 November.

Goolam requested his immediate resignation: “Once the Free State gangster #AceMagashule is charged on Friday he must immediately resign as SG of ANC as per decisions taken by the NEC of the ANC. He can come back once he clears his name.”  

“#AceMagashule The ANC in the Free State’s spokesperson Thabo Meeko says the party will not tolerate corruption but will also not allow a senior member to come under attack,” shared EWN Reporter. @Paballo_Pasta highlighted the contradiction: “Two very conflicting statements. Two statements in complete juxtaposition to each other. The irony of this all is lost on Thabo Meeko.”

While ANC supporters in the Free State marched to the premier’s offices to protest against corruption, ANC MK Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus appeared on national television to voice his anger at the warrant of arrest issued against Magashule, warning that the charges could cause division within the ANC.

#HandsoffAceMagashule began trending on Twitter on 10 November, with people showing: “I stand with SG. We owe to ourselves to protect all RET Champions. Protect Zuma protect Ace. #AceMagashule,” proclaimed @PitsomanSA.

Melissa Nelly warned that the arrest was a political move that would backfire: “Cyril Ramaphosa is working hard to crush political opponents trying to cement his position in the ANC and force the WMC law in the country. The arrest of SG Ace Magashule will backfire badly for Cyril. Wait and see.”

The next day, #ArrestAceMagashule was used to highlight the housing situation in the Free State: “Today people in Free State they don’t have houses because of corrupt officials who want to enrich themselves with taxpayers money. Umongameli cyril ngithi bayise we want a clean SA halala CR17 halala #Arrestacemagashule #handsoffacemagashule” shared Evelyn Peters.

Rabela tweeted: “Ace Magashule was premier of the Free State of 10 years and did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for the people of Free State, there nothing transformational about this Thug. #ArrestAceMagashule #AceMustFall”. DM

The Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) is a non-profit organisation based at UCT’s Graduate School of Business and incubated by the Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership. It was established to track and counter mis- and disinformation, fake news and divisive and polarising rhetoric that is promulgated online to undermine social cohesion, democratic integrity and the stability of nation states.