It is that time of year where we start looking back on all that was accomplished and its no different for social media platforms; this is the Facebook review of 2020 in SA.
South Africa (17 December 2020) – Facebook recently shared its global Year in Review and top moments , now it’s sharing some of the ways South Africans used its platforms to make this year a little less lonely, and feel a bit more connected. The Facebook Year in Review will give you a glimpse into some of the key social media moments of 2020, sorted into themes to offer context into the ways people shared and experienced them.
Icons: People came to Facebook to commemorate the figures who left a lasting legacy around the world.
- Joseph Shabalala’s passing in February left South Africans saddened, the star was best known for establishing the multi-Grammy-Award-winning music group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo from the 1950s, which flagged Zulu music to global listeners.
- Zindzi Mandela the sixth daughter of Nelson Mandela, is one of the discussed moments on Facebook, she is among the many famous South Africans we lost this year.
COVID-19: Under extraordinary circumstances, communities found ways to connect, learn and grow.
- In March, South Africans gathered on Facebook platforms and stood together as President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of Covid-19.
- Africa Day saw South Africans unite in a show of resilience at a difficult time for everyone in the world – one of the top moments discussed by South Africans on Facebook.
Global Politics: With stakes high, people came to Facebook platforms to make their voices heard.
- Kamala Harris’ Vice Presidential selection announcement was the most mentioned moment globally in August, drawing more than 10 million posts in one day.
Faith & Community: People used Facebook platforms to build and maintain community, even at a distance.
- Palm Sunday in April saw South Africans turn to Facebook platforms to celebrate their faith at a time they could not join their congregations in the real world.
Top Culture Moments
New for 2020 is our curated top Pop Culture Moments, which highlights some of the most fun, wild and lighter moments that brought a little bit of levity to a crazy year. These much-talked-about moments generated some of the highest levels of interaction across our apps, and include the following in South Africa:
- Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP”
- Game between FC Bayern and Barcelona
- Netflix’s “Tiger King”
“During a year filled with challenges and social distancing, our Year in Review captures the multitude of creative and inspiring ways our communities have come together through the Facebook family of apps. No matter where in the world you live, the shared experiences of 2020 brought us together, even while we were apart, with digital platforms helping us to stay connected.” – Kezia Anim- Addo, Head of Communications for Sub-Saharan Africa at Facebook