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The Weekend Social Trends Report: #MTNIsTrash, the Durban July and more
We know how much you enjoy living your life beyond the confines of your smartphone screen. But come Monday, you still want to hear about the social media highlights from the weekend, right? Well look no further than South Africa’s Weekend Social Trends Report, compiled for you by us, and fuelled by the country’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram community.
Edition #1, 1-2 July 2017.
Jaden Smith tweets some wisdom on Jay Z’s lyrics
We’ve heard plenty said about Jay Z’s new album from Twitter’s unverified accounts and celebs alike. But one always ready to educate the world one tweet at a time is Jaden Smith.
The After Earth star and owner of the world’s most enlightened Twitter account weighed in on the Jay Z debate this weekend.
“Jay Z Just Reminded All Of Us How To Rap…. Rhythm And Poetry,” he tweeted around 11am SAST Friday.
Jay Z Just Reminded All Of Us How To Rap…. Rhythm And Poetry
— Jaden Smith (@officialjaden) June 30, 2017
The tweet was picked up by South Africans around midnight Saturday, amassing over 15 000 likes and 5000 retweets.
You can read what lesser mortals thought of the album right here.
The Durban July: fashion, comedy and politics
This weekend saw a number of high-profile events feature both within South Africa’s borders and across the ponds. One of them was the Durban July. The annual horse racing event attracts the high-rollers of South African society, so it wasn’t odd to see the event itself occupy the country’s timelines.
With it came a load of hashtags too, so bear with us.
First hitting Twitter around 1pm SAST Saturday, this hashtag was seemingly born by beer producer Amstel but was used by a number of lucky July attendees to flaunt their, uh, dank memes.
First spotted in Cape Town, the hashtag took flight thanks to DJ Tira’s “too lit” tweet, featuring a dapper suit and chopper in the background.
Touch Down too Lit 🔥🔥🔥#AfroMarquee2017 #DurbanJuly2017 #DurbanJuly17 #FactDurbanRocks pic.twitter.com/3q4MCHyRFd
— Makoya Bearings (@DJTira) July 1, 2017
The tweet received over 60 retweets and 380 likes.
South African comedian Thenjiwe Moseley also weighed in on the event, with a touch of political commentary, with this skit.
Kodwa @MYANC #ANC senzeni na? #durbanjuly @EFFSouthAfrica can you please assist #DurbanJuly2017 #ANCPC #Noblessersindurban #ANCNPC pic.twitter.com/QdwyzNBgtu
— Thenjiwe Comedy (@thenjiwecomedy) June 30, 2017
It added a further 530 and 720 retweets and favourites to the hashtag’s impact.
#VDJ2017, #VDJ17, #DurbanJuly and more simply #July were also used this weekend.
Over on Instagram, South African actress Jessica Nkosi, Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Pieters, and TV personality Bolanle Olukanni made the big splashes on the social network using #DurbanJuly.
A post shared by jessicankosi (@jessicankosi) on
A post shared by Bolanle Olukanni – Bolinto 😉 (@bolanle) on
MTN’s free Twitter service experiences errors
The #SocialMediaBlackOut might be a thing of the past, but #DataMustFall is still on everyone’s mind. Even if the hashtag is slowly dropping out of the narrative. #MTNisTrash appeared this weekend too, in connection to the Vodacom-sponsored Durban July no less.
The network experienced issues with its free Twitter service, which offers customers 100MB to blow on the social network per day. But today there was a “technical error”.
So today we not seeing pictures?#MTNisTrash how am i suppose to be in Durban July 😡😡😡😤 pic.twitter.com/oAvitNvEat
— Sgush!!🔥🔥 (@luckymodise7) July 1, 2017
After 130 retweets, 239 likes and a trending hashtag later, MTN replied.
Hey guys, sorry for the inconvenience. We are working on fixing the problem and will update everyone once it has been resolved./LM
— MTN South Africa (@MTNza) July 1, 2017
MTN later alerted its entire follower roll to the issue.
We are aware of the technical error affecting our twitter customers. We are working on a speedy resolution.
— MTN South Africa (@MTNza) July 1, 2017
Vodacom couldn’t help but plug its services amidst the scrum.
Hi fam, we’re counting down to the days ’till you join #TeamRed 😉
— Vodacom (@Vodacom) July 1, 2017
But at around 4pm SAST Saturday, MTN announced that the issue had been resolved.
Hey fam, free twitter is back up and running! 😀
— MTN South Africa (@MTNza) July 1, 2017
Too late? For some, probably. This tweet became mildly viral in Durban amidst the MTN free Twitter issue.
Before yall leave MTN dial *141*2# and get that airtime advance. Use it up then throw simcard. Don’t pay it back. #MTNisTrash
— I Refuse To Adult (@Albatross_SA) July 1, 2017
We’re hoping those 559 people who retweeted this still have SIM cards…
#JulyWouldBeBetterIf also poked fun at MTN’s issues.
#JulyWouldBeBetterIf We could see memes but @MTNza had other plans.😒😒😑
— 👑Savage king 🌝 (@_MrTeeee_) July 1, 2017
Feature image: Vodacom Durban July 2016, via Vodacom Durban July
