‘Watching us is like watching a cousin’: the online creators reshaping Africa’s news ecosphere
Africa is leading a change in news consumption habits – and transforming the lives of current affairs enthusiasts
Last year Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa posted a TikTok video about South African peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She explained an argument that had erupted between the South African and Rwandan presidents, then listed roles different South African groups would play in a war with Rwanda: the Sotho strategists, the Xhosa negotiators, the Afrikaner muscle. The video went viral and she racked up 100,000 followers in three days.
This breakout video enabled Jaxa to pivot from being a marketing and restaurant entrepreneur to a “professional yapper and current affairs enthusiast”, part of a group of content creators explaining the news to young South Africans who, like many of their global peers, are eschewing traditional news in favour of social media.
Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa’s breakdown of the Sotho strategists vs Xhosa negotiators was brilliant—finally someone making geopolitics relatable without dumbing it down.
100k followers in 3 days off a TikTok about South African peacekeepers? That’s wild. But it shows how hungry young people are for news that doesn’t put them to sleep.
I get that traditional news is dying, but relying on ‘professional yappers’ for current affairs feels risky. Who fact-checks these creators before they go viral?