South Africa has a bit of a disinformation problem. From Twitter accounts spreading xenophobic rhetoric to racist scaremongering, it’s an ever-present threat. This is thanks to no actual checks and balances in place by the powers that be. This was widely seen and experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic when wild stories about 5G technology and vaccines made the rounds. This had real consequences when three cellphone towers were burned in KwaZulu-Natal in January 2021, at the height of the disinformation.

Disinformation, especially on social media, played a significant role in the 2021 July unrest, which resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people. This also echoed in the South African Human Rights Commission’s report on the riots. “Social media, however, exacerbated the situation as information (sometimes inaccurate and misleading) was transmitted easily from one person to the next, reaching millions of people instantly,” the report said.

You see it everywhere on Twitter, Facebook and even WhatsApp.

TikTok is one of the most popular apps in the country, with an estimated 11.83 million users. It’s no surprise that it has also been used as a tool for misinformation. Today, I profile two TikTok stars combating disinformation in their own way. With a combined 18k following, these two are some of the leading voices on TikTok discussing issues plaguing young South Africans.

Sqiniseko Ndlovu, who goes mainly by Square (“non-Nguni speakers struggle with the click”, she says), is a  “born free” TikTok creator from Pietermaritzburg. She started creating content cause there was a gap in the basic education or information about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ) community on the platform, mainly on the South African front. “I was growing frustrated with homophobic disinformation about the LGBTQ Community, so I decided to speak up,” adds Square.

The protection of LGBT rights in South Africa is based on section 9 of the Constitution, which forbids discrimination based on sex, gender or sexual orientation and applies to government and private parties. The Constitutional Court has stated that the section must also be interpreted as prohibiting discrimination against transgender people.

Despite these protections, harassment, violence and abuse against the community is still widespread. For instance, a TikTok preacher has been spreading disinformation and dangerous rhetoric against the community. Or the tragic suicide of 12-year-old Sibusiso Mbatha, who took his own life allegedly due to bullying by a teacher.

@usqiniseko

#fyp @Square a Zulu Lesbian

♬ Commercial – TimTaj

“I believe if you are a part of the LGBTQ community in a heteronormative world, you know how lonely it is to not conform to the expectations of the world and its standards,” says Square. “You want to make a  better world. You want to find community and safety for yourselves and your fellow community members, more so the youth who are discovering themselves in a world full of hate.” 

Another TikTok rising star doing his part to combat disinformation is Banzi Mcasa. Based in Cape Town, Banzi is self-employed in the travel industry. He used to work as a producer for a Christian channel and had hopes of starting his publication. 

It was during the COVID-19 lockdowns when Banzi realised the amount of misinformation that was out there. “I realised that as much as we were learning about the pandemic, other voices were being silenced. Mainstream media was not allowing alternative voices,” he says.

Banzi’s content focuses on economics and politics. He has recently been vocal on the Israeli-Palestine conflict. 

@banzi_m1

♬ original sound – Banzai

Banzi is not shy about the fact that he does not like South Africa’s current president, Cyril Ramaphosa. It was this dislike that led him to TikTok. “I was (still am) Ramaphosa’s biggest critic. When the Phala-Phala issue came out, I chose a side, and it wasn’t his. I used to post my opinions about him on my WhatsApp statuses. My friends then encouraged me to take my thoughts to TikTok.”

Both Square and Banzi have extensively spoken about racism to their followers. “I remember in grade 11; I was waiting for my friend at the bus stop on a Sunday, wearing my school uniform; we were going to help out at the annual event called “Cars in the Park”, and this group of white bikers rolled up (the event draws crowds of car and bike enthusiasts)at the same bus stop. 

One of the middle-aged white men engaged in some small talk, seeing my uniform, saying he went to the same school I was attending. He wasn’t rude; he was very cordial, but I noticed on his leather bike jacket that all his fellow bikers had the old South African flag. Racism is not loud. Some wear it with pride while engaging in small talk with teenage Black girls.” says Square. 

They believe everything in South Africa is linked and cannot be viewed in one way. “You need to put everything into context in SA. For instance, what did we expect from the ANC when, after liberation, we brought guerilla fighters and put them in boardrooms? My mission is to put things into perspective,” says Banzi. Square agrees. “Systems of oppression are not complex. They mirror each other; it’s about drawing parallels to people’s lived experiences.”

The solution to disinformation lies in transparency. Rather than imposing restrictions on free, independent media and limiting access to information, these pillars should be encouraged. Digital and media literacy programmes can also promote critical thinking that can help people identify and debunk disinformation.

While there is much to be done to combat disinformation in SA, we can all agree that we will be okay with people like Square and Banzi leading the charge. The Kids are alright, and they’re leading the discourse.

Why People Should Care: Disinformation, if left unchecked, can lead not only to an ill-informed public but death and destruction. Tools like Africa Check and Media Monitoring Africa are vital in the fight against disinformation. 

Concept photo of disinformation. Image accreditation:  Focal Foto, Flickr
tshego@explain.co.za |  + posts

Tshego is a writer and law student from Pretoria. A keen follower of social media trends, his interests include high fantasy media, politics, science, talk radio, reading and listening to music.

He is also probably one of the only people left who still play Pokemon Go.