Hello, it’s me. If you didn’t catch that reference to the #HelloChallenge, where have you been this week? And although the challenge, which saw social media light up with screenshots of messages by people pulling an Adele on their mates, had high traction online, South Africa was also hitting Twitter and Facebook to talk money and weather.
I’m leaving on a jet plane
After news broke that arms procurement agency, Armscor, could be acquiring a R4-billion private jet for President Jacob Zuma, the Twittersphere lashed back on how they would spend that kind of dough. Using the hashtag #For4billion, some people poked fun while others presented some serious proposals.
@_siyasanga was retweeted 97 times after he suggested the R4-billion should be spent to “pay off the current ANC government officials to step down and find people who will put the country first,” and he wasn’t the only with sneaky plans to oust the ruling party.
The SABC was left blushing after an unauthorised scoundrel dropped the F-bomb on the broadcaster’s Twitter stream in response to JZ’s alleged new jet. Bet their social media manager wished they could have jumped on board that pricey plane to avoid the media attention the Tweet received.
It’s gettin’ hot in here
If rapper, Nelly was in South Africa he would definitely be taking off all his clothes off. The #Heatwave that has struck the country, sending temperatures up to record highs, has social media users sweating online too. Using the hashtags #HeatWave, #RainMustFall and #WaterCrisis, the country shared complaints and solutions on how to beat the heat, stay hydrated and save precious water.
The hashtags have also been used politically, with the Twittersphere pointing fingers at the government for poor management of the country’s resources. We think it’s safe to say the ANC might hold some rain dances this weekend in an effort to drench the scorched earth (and reputations).
Two types of arches
Three-year-old spin doctor, DJ Arch Junior was crowned the winner of SA’s Got Talent last Sunday and by Tuesday haters were online accusing the tiny house DJ of foul-play. Arch Junior’s dad fought the rumours that his son’s tracks were pre-recorded and his argument seemed to work because by Thursday the hashtag #DJArch was mostly used to praise the little prodigy.
The other arches making waves were McDonald’s golden ones, when, on Wednesday, the fast food giant celebrated 20 years in South Africa by dropping the Big Mac Medium Meal prices to what they were in 1995. The R19.95 price tag didn’t just have customers queuing outside stores, but also sharing the news of the special on Twitter with the hashtags #mcdthrowback20 and #FillUpMcDonalds. Twenty years in the country, wow, time fries!
That’s all for this week, we’ll catch you again next Friday with more news from the interwebs.