We’ve taken a trip down memory lane and looked at the top trending Good Things Guy stories of 2020. Check them out here!
South Africa (22 December 2020) – Good grief, what a year it has been. Looking back, you would think it was all bad, but actually, there are many moments that stand out in 2020 and should be remembered as a good thing.
In times of tragedy, always look for the helpers; they are the heroes we need to be celebrating!
Many South Africans have done incredible things, and the team at Good Things Guy have spent the year capturing those stories highlighting all the awards, accolades and accomplishments – you can find the entire article with over 100 highlights here.
But we’ve taken a trip down memory lane and looked at the top trending Good Things Guy stories of 2020. Check them out below:
20. SPAR really helped small businesses!
As owner-run businesses, SPAR knew that this year now more than ever, we need to support each other and went viral for two stories where they stepped up and truly made a difference.
A SPAR in the Western Cape has closed down its stationery section and removed all frozen burgers to help neighbouring stores survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
And a SPAR in Plettenberg Bay is offering shelf space to help neighbouring stores and restaurants survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
These small act of kindness by the grocery stores shows a true sense of community love. This is how we get through this economic disaster of 2020… together!
19. Nandos kept us on our toes.
In 2020, Nando’s wanted to know what part of the chicken does a nugget come from… and so did the rest of the world?!?
In a viral video released on their social media platforms and radio, the South African restaurant chain called a rival fast-food chicken outlet to ask them that very question.
The caller askes the rival fast-food outlet, “What part of the chicken a nugget comes from?”… and it’s clear that the woman answering the phone has no idea where a nugget actually comes from.
The conversation will leave you laughing and then thinking about what a Chicken Nugget actually is.
18. Kim Nicola Stephens got us through lockdown… by helping us laugh.
Kim Nicola Stephens fast became our favourite writer during 2020 and South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown… because we need laughter more now than anything!
She has given us the top 10 middle-class quarantine categories, a hilarious depiction of how confusing level 4 actually is, the beauty truths of the burbs during the lockdown, the runners versus smokers debacle and she weighed in (hilariously) about how everyone in South Africa has suddenly become an expert on nearly everything.
South Africans have a way of getting through the toughest times, usually with a side dish of humour, and her writing is on point.
Kim permits us to post her pieces on Good Things Guy, and we hope you enjoy the brilliant humour.
17. South African goes viral for his choice of clothing after being invited to a braai.
Long Story short… but what do you think of Siseko’s outfit for the braai on Friday?
We don’t think Siseko Cisco Mhlana knew that his post would go viral in 2020 and land up on our desk, but we are thankful for his sense of humour.
South Africans have a way of getting through the toughest times, usually with a side dish of humour, and his writing is on point.
His post has been shared thousands of times.
Once you’ve read it, you’ll see why.
16. Hospitals of hope: This is how South Africa has kept its Covid-19 death toll low.
CNN explored why South Africa’s coronavirus death rate is lower than predicted in 2020.
Coronavirus cases in South Africa were at a peak, with cases climbing in Cape Town and Johannesburg. But there is a silver lining in the surge as doctors have managed to keep mortality rates lower than predicted. David McKenzie from CNN reports from an emergency operations headquarters.
McKenzie reported from South Africa where, although coronavirus cases are rising, doctors have managed to keep mortality rates lower than predicted.
In Cape Town, Dr Lee Wallis, Western Cape Head of Emergency Medicine, speaks about these surprising figures, “Our death rate is slowing, that isn’t really what we’d modelled, it’s not what we predicted. We thought the deaths would continue and actually would be climbing quite dramatically.”
Dr Wallis explains that South Africa watched coronavirus outbreaks around the world and prepared accordingly, “We learned huge amounts from China, from Europe, from the US.”
15. Celebrations as more rain in the Karoo causes Oudtshoorn dams to overflow
The Klein Karoo Oudtshoorn received some much-needed relief over the weekend when torrential rains saw their dam levels rise.
On the 15th of January 2020, the Oudtshoorn Municipality issued a warning that their water levels were very low. They encouraged citizens to be water-wise. Then two days later a massive storm blew in, the sky opened up, and the rain just kept coming.
The Karoo and Klein Karoo are just some of the parts of South Africa that have been hit hardest by the unrelenting drought. The wave of rains is bringing some relief to the communities that have spent the last few years without much of any.
The Oudtshoorn Municipality took to Twitter to share videos and pictures of the rain and how some areas are over-flowing. The municipality rejoiced at video footage of the overflow running from the Melville dam into Raubenheimer dam in Oudtshoorn.
14. South African who made Headlines after F1 Crash
Alan van der Merwe is a South African race driver that is currently behind the wheel of the Mercedes Safety Car for Formula One.
On the 30 November 2020 at the Bahrain GP, Romain Grosjean a driver for Haas, was involved in a horrific accident when his race car veered into the barrier, split in two and burst into a ball of flames. Thankfully the race had only just started, and the medical vehicle was there within seconds of the accident.
The medical team rushed to assist Grosjean despite encountering flames hotter than any of their uniforms could handle. Grosjean was thankfully able to free himself from the wreckage and get away from the flames. According to sources at Formula One, he has sustained mild burns to his wrists and ankles.
The accident was massive, and without the incredible innovations in safety equipment, it could have ended with a very different headline.
Get the full story by clicking here.
13. President Cyril Ramaphosa laughs off the mask mishap!
President Cyril Ramaphosa is also laughing with the nation about his little mask mishap.
That Thursday night, the President addressed the nation about how from the 1st of May 2020, the government will implement a risk-adjusted strategy aimed at easing the current lockdown restrictions. The decision was taken during a National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) meeting on Thursday.
But he also inspired hundreds of jokes and memes on social media when he failed to put on his cloth mask properly, hooking it over his eyes and nose, instead of his mouth. This as he left the podium from the Union Buildings, where he had been addressing millions of South Africans.
But the President has taken it in his stride and laughed off the “mask mishap” during an on a site visit to COVID-19 facilities in Gauteng.
You can watch it by clicking here.
12. Footage of rare Black Leopard spotted in SA has just been released
On the 24th of February 2020, the news broke about a rare African Black (melanistic) Leopard sighting. The last time one was seen, was during 2013. In fact, there have only been 30 sightings from 1952 to 2013.
The beautiful Leopard was seen in a location that is being kept secret to protect it. According to the Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation, the Department of Nature Conservation and one of South Africa’s leading leopard and carnivore experts reviewed video footage of the animal sighted and confirmed that it was indeed a Black Leopard. It was sighted near a residential area.
That video footage has now been released so those excited by the news of the sighting can see it too just by clicking here.
11. Community rally together, helping father with newborn twins after mother passed away
Samuel Nonyane was seen carrying his three-week-old twins through the mall; a woman asked where his wife was and learned a heartbreaking tale.
Welcoming a new life into the world is an incredible blessing, but pairing that with the heartbreak of losing your wife in the process must be devastating! This is how the community of Featherbrook are working to help a father and his new-born, twins after his wife passed away during childbirth.
Samuel Nonyane was seen walking with his three-week-old girls and his two young boys. When stopped and asked if everything was ok, Samuel explained his heartbreaking situation. During the birth of his twin girls, his wife passed.
He explained that the doctors had failed to notice twins and ended up performing multiple surgeries to save the lives of the girls. Samuel’s wife started bleeding uncontrollably and passed away due to excessive blood loss. In one moment he lost the love of his life and became a single father to four children.
Within 24 hours hundreds and thousands of Rands was raised to help him.
10. Government Coronavirus Website made 100% data free!!!
Access to the official South African Coronavirus website has just been made 100% free! No airtime or data balance is required to get the information you need!
Johannesburg, South Africa (19 March 2020) – Amid the coronavirus outbreak, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday night that South Africa has the “knowledge, means and resources” to defeat the disease.
One vitally important resource is providing no data cost access to the official SA coronavirus website https://sacoronavirus.co.za for all South Africans thanks to the biNu #datafree Platform.
#datafree access to the website via https://coronavirus.datafree.co allows all South Africans to discover the latest information, resources, and stats on coronavirus. The biNu #datafree Platform is powering digital inclusion by removing the barrier of cost to accessing the official COVID-19 website, which is beneficial in the spread of facts and to prevent false information circulating.
Get the full story by clicking here.
9. Joburg restaurant turns into old school Roadhouse Drive-In under lockdown!
Many businesses pivoted to make their businesses work in 2020, but Molly Malone’s in Fourways went viral this year after it announced that they had turned into an old school Roadhouse Drive-In until they are allowed to open properly again.
Many businesses had to rethink how they will move forward with the South African lockdown regulations, especially restaurants – who were forced to close for most of the lockdown and only started serving food in level 3. The regulations state that the consumption of food and alcohol in restaurants, bars, shebeens and taverns is still prohibited, but South Africans are allowed to collect food… so a Roadhouse Drive-In makes perfect sense.
8. Cape Town Produced Sauvignon Blanc Named Best In The World
Groot Constantia’s 2019 Sauvignon Blanc won the International Sauvignon Blanc Trophy at the 2020 International Wine Challenge (IWC) – one of the most prestigious competitions in the world which chooses the best wines from across the globe. This is the first time in ten years that the award for the best Sauvignon Blanc has not been won by either the Loire or New Zealand. The wine also won the Constantia Trophy.
This is not the first time that Groot Constantia’s Sauvignon Blanc has won these prominent awards at the IWC– in 2013 the Estates Sauvignon Blanc walked away with the South African White Trophy, the Constantia Trophy and the South African Sauvignon Blanc Trophy.
The International Wine Challenge assesses every wine ‘blind’ and judges each for its faithfulness to style, region and vintage. Each medal-winning wine is tasted on at least three separate occasions by a minimum of 10 different judges – some of the world’s leading wine experts. To qualify for these international trophy’s the entrants all must have already achieved a Gold medal at the IWC Challenge. All Gold medal winners then go up against each other in another round of tasting by the judges to choose the Trophy winners.
7. The Ndlovu Youth Choir Perform with P!nk
The Ndlovu Youth Choir’s performed with P!nk will leave you with all the feels!
The performance was part of UNICEF’s exclusive, virtual fundraiser which took place on the 1st of December 2020 to celebrate and empower children around the world.
The program featured changemakers from around the globe and included UNICEF experts, advocates, and future leaders who use their voices to support and amplify UNICEF’s lifesaving mission. The event showcased the breadth of UNICEF’s work, showcasing UNICEF’s global response yesterday, today and tomorrow.
“It was an honour to collaborate with the Ndlovu Youth Choir on this new version of A Million Dreams. Although we were thousands of miles apart due to the pandemic, we were connected by UNICEF’s lifesaving mission of putting children first. Join me in supporting UNICEF by donating to their lifesaving work around the world” – P!nk.
Watch the incredible performance by clicking here.
6. South African farmers answer the call of the looming hunger crisis
Farmers, from various farming communities across KwaZulu-Natal province, this week responded to the desperate calls of dwindling food supplies in local communities in their areas, following the nationwide lockdown.
Farmers from Ixopo, Highflats, Kokstad, Mount Currie and Mooi River all reacted swiftly by donating fresh and dry produce, seedlings and milk to surrounding rural communities. The farmers also partnered with local organisations, churches and local municipalities to provide essential supplies for over 4 500 families.
“When we heard that spaza shops were not among the initial list of essential suppliers, we knew our local communities would suffer greatly and that we needed to help,” said Bruce Allwood, Chairman on the Ixopo Farmers’ Association Trust.
“Our community caregivers carried out assessments, calculating the number of families running out of food or, quite frankly, starving. Many of these families made extra money through stalls on the side of the road or at schools and, without this income, cannot survive on social grants,” said founder of Woza Moya, Sue Hedden.
“The response was overwhelming, with R30 000 in financial donations and approximately 10 tons of food distributed to 200 families in the Ubuhlebezwe region,” said John Bredin, former Chairman of the Ixopo Highflats Farmers’ Association.
5. Jogger stops to direct traffic during Loadshedding – Becomes Joburg’s newest hero!
Self-appointed traffic Pointsmen and Pointswomen are helping the city’s congestion by working when the intersections don’t.
From street buskers to beggars and now even morning joggers, South Africans who are helping during Loadshedding traffic are topping the social media trends around the country. And Good Things Guy readers have been tagging us and sending in photos over the past 24 hours that we just couldn’t ignore!
No one knows who she is, but everyone was so thankful for her help!
The city of Johannesburg says that it is completely “illegal,” for citizens to help with traffic at intersections but unfortunately the city is also not offering any solutions during the Loadshedding crisis, so many South Africans are stepping up to the plate, to help each other out!
Get the full story by clicking here.
4. Young teen goes viral for Fleetwood Mac cover – gets record deal!
A North Carolina teen – inspired by a longboarder drinking cranberry juice – just received a record deal for her cover of “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac.
It took just 10 days for the video – posted to TikTok – to land Lanie Gardner a record deal with the Jonas brothers!
It all started when a man filmed himself gliding down a highway on a longboard, drinking from a big plastic bottle of Ocean Spray Cranberry juice while lip-synching to Dreams, the song by Fleetwood Mac. The video immediately became a trend on TikTok with many people doing their own versions of the cool gliding motion using the song, but one young singer decided instead of longboarding, she would make a cover version.
And since then, Lanie has racked up millions of views. In fact, within ten days of the video going viral, Lanie’s cover gained over 20 million total views and 340 000 total followers.
Watch the video here.
3. Max Hurell went viral with 3 very creative songs!
From when people zol, to asking where did the cigarettes come from and even ministers farting while on national television – Max Hurell became a household name in South Africa (and hit number 1 on the iTunes chart) in 2020 as he kept the nation laughing and dancing.
2. Thuli Madonsela stood up for what is right… again!
Thuli Madonsela wrote an open letter to the President of South Africa that is going viral about how public policies and conduct must not only pass the reasonableness test in a court of law; they should also pass that test in the court of public opinion.
With all the constant negativity being shared around COVID-19, the Lockdown and regulations… Madonsela’s open letter comes with a sense of wisdom and feels like a breath of fresh air.
“But you need to know, Mr President, that there are increasing concerns about the reasonableness of some of the COVID-19 rules. Like equality, reasonableness is also a legal requirement for policies. Section 33 of the constitution says: “Everyone has the right to just administrative action that is lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair.” Now, you have conceded that some of the rules are contradictory. And I’m sure you’d agree with me that contradictory regulation cannot be said to be reasonable.”
You can read the full letter by clicking here.
1. Individuals, Non-profit Organisations and ordinary South Africans stepped up to help!
This year has been incredibly tough, and a harsh reality set in for South Africans who were facing hunger and poverty in the eye of the lockdown storm.
Luckily food programs across the country kept hope alive – from big organisations like Food Forward South Africa, Operation Hunger and Ladles of Love to individuals like Kelly McGillivray and Peter and Lesley Wagenaar who spent their money, time and energy on feeding South Africa.
We have featured hundreds of these stories in 2020, from all sorts of organisations and ordinary people, truly doing the extraordinary – these are the true heroes we need to celebrate.
Thank you for stepping up and helping South Africa in our greatest time in need.
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