Social media has spoken, and the top hashtag in the country for 2025 is #SAIsAMovie.
Analysing social media posts, Acumen Media called it the “overarching meta-hashtag”.
“It captured the national sentiment that our reality, especially the political circus, had surpassed satire and become a surreal, low-budget blockbuster. It was driven by the sheer absurdity of events like the #MadlangaCommission testimonies from Imogen Mashazi, Julius Malema and Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and the #CatMatlala/#BlackWooliesBag saga. We also saw the zama zamas make a massive impact on timelines,” said Acumen social media analyst Tonya Khoury.
The second biggest hashtag came as no surprise. #Mkhwanazi trended following the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner’s explosive claims of entrenched crime syndicates and political meddling inside law enforcement, which led to an ad hoc parliamentary inquiry into alleged links between senior officials and organised crime.
The third hashtag dominating timelines and newsfeeds was one of national trauma and collective rage.
“#CweCwe and GBV, the horrific case of a seven-year-old girl, became a catalyst for massive public outcry, #PurpleRain protests, and a desperate demand for systemic change in #ChildProtectionWeek. It trended not for entertainment, but for a visceral, shared demand for justice,” explained Khoury.
President Cyril Ramaphosa remained a dominant figure in online conversations but “the tone is overwhelmingly critical” and he appears to be the most hated figure on South African social media.
“He stays in the spotlight through a paradox: his perceived inaction and performative shock (“Who did this?”) amidst cascading crises (#LoadShedding, #WaterWars, #NotFitForPurpose state services). He is the central character in the narrative of a failing state, making every tour of a decayed metro or every cabinet controversy a trending topic," said Khoury.
“Based on the sustained vitriol in the data, the most hated figure is President Cyril Ramaphosa. The criticism is less about charismatic villainy and more about a deep, widespread perception of him as a feeble, out-of-touch leader presiding over a collapsing state. Hashtags and comments frame him as the embodiment of failed promise and negligent leadership. There are so many villains to choose from after all these commissions and committees. Julius Malema didn’t feature as much as other years; some may say he is regrouping, others that he is retiring.”
The hashtag that no-one expected was #NathanErasmus.
“It was a surprise positive trend. In the grim #JoshlinSmith trial, Judge Erasmus wasn’t a celebrity or politician but a figure of steadfast intellect and no-nonsense justice. I think he trended because South Africans, drowning in institutional incompetence and corruption, were desperately thirsty for a single competent, principled authority figure. He became a symbol of the justice we crave but rarely see,” said Khoury.
Another massive chunk of data is South Africans and their appeal for a ceasefire and help for the Palestinian people.
Khoury’s analysis showed a noticeable shift in the “tone” on social media in South Africa.
“The tone has become darker, more satirical, and yet more purposefully activist. There’s a pervasive use of dark humour and meme culture (#SAIsAMovie) as a coping mechanism for political fatigue. Alongside the satire, there are bursts of raw, unfiltered rage —seen in the unified fury around #CweCwe, and other service delivery issues that quickly mobilise into offline action.”
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