Social media can offer a means of connection and community, but it can be a big threat to our health and democracy.
That was evident after the country’s national and provincial elections last Wednesday, May 29, when many people used online platforms to criticise and insult the people of the Eastern Cape for voting for the African National Congress (ANC).
Over the past weeks, several people have taken to social media with signs and slogans to display their opinion about the province, some calling it cutting-edge, others a poor province.
The question often asked is, why is the ANC tops in that province? Mind you, the ANC also won the most votes in Limpopo and the North West. However, social media influencers felt that the Eastern Cape was the poorest and most uncared for by the ANC government.
It is clear that these are not neutral platforms.
If one follows political trends and campaigns, one should not be shocked with this thinking. Some people on these social media platforms, like politicians, are there to control what we think.
I have been following these elections with keen interest and the campaigners have been divisive about race. Identity politics has been rife, for example, targeting coloured people in the Western Cape or Zulus in Kwa-Zulu-Natal. There were a few Limpopo people who were calling on Pedis to vote for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). I feel that there's a big threat to democracy. The stakes are too high, and time is running out for politicians to address damaging misinformation. But I can be wrong to call the politicians to sort it out because they are the ones dividing people.
South Africans themselves must open up their minds and see the truth.
During the campaigning, there was a literal attack on democracy organised on social media and in public.
People have lost their minds to conspiracy theories. Violent extremism is a threat. One has to say we are slowly losing grip of our democracy. Now many think that the idea of independent states is not a bad idea with the Cape (Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern) to be one state, taking Lesotho adding it to Free as one state, KwaZulu-Natal as one state, and Swaziland and Mpumalanga as one state. Is that feasible or normal? How are we going to take Swaziland and Lesotho, by war?
Another cry is for the newly formed Umkhonto Wesizwe to lead and rule. As a people we have a short memory. The same leader of the MK was once our president - what did he do in the years that he led the ANC? He should have changed a lot. But I might be running in front of the carthorse, Gedleyihlekisa Zuma might be the leader but more of an adviser to the party. Personally, I will never trust him and his MK Party.
I was offended by the insults about the Eastern Cape. We live in a democracy where everyone deserves the right to vote for whoever they want to. Maybe we need time and space to have a national discussion on these issues. It is about time that real leaders stand up and speak sense to people.
It is about time that people stop being driven by lies and think for themselves. Now is the time to protect our freedom and democracy. Identity politics must be condemned. If we do not protect this democracy, we will soon start fighting among ourselves.
One day we need to talk of cyberbulling. In the meantime let us worry about the coming coalition government.
Will it work or will egos come out tops?