#SONA2019, ‘Afrikaans’ is trending on Twitter worldwide right now

So #SONA2019 is currently trending worldwide on Twitter, and it’s pretty obvious why. But if you gaze further down the social network’s top trends on Thursday night, you’ll see “Afrikaans“.

Yes. “Afrikaans” is now trending worldwide on Twitter. Not just in South Africa. Worldwide.

As for why, well, it might be because of this little incident at SONA 2019 earlier…

The EFF sits during the Afrikaans part of the national anthem #SONA2019 #VocNews pic.twitter.com/rM3rwNnDK5

— Zaahidah (@Zaahidah_M) February 7, 2019

During the national anthem, the EFF took a seat in Parliament when the Afrikaans section began.

The third stanza of South Africa’s current anthem is taken from the country’s former anthem called Die Stem, used by the country during the apartheid years.

And those not tuning in on Thursday propelled the flames with questions like these:

Why am I seeing so many Afrikaans tweets on my TL😕😕💀 pic.twitter.com/jrqHzC0dTg

— Monde🦁 (@MondeRay_) February 7, 2019

Afrikaans has become a big talking point in South Africa in 2019, after it was announced that the language will be phased out as a medium of instruction at Wits University.

The SONA 2019 address is currently being delivered live in Parliament by President Ramaphosa. Watch it live here.

Feature image: composite, Twitter