The week started off well; the #President ended the #StateofDisaster and most of us were still questioning if we needed masks at all (it’s only been two years and we’re still here).  We all had a #BlackCoffee Monday when we learnt of the wonderful news that the artist, Black Coffee, smashed the #GrammyAwards.  South Africans really did make an impact.  We brought home nine of those little statues.  I think we’ve found our niche.  #TrevorNoah was the host and even though many were unhappy about him using #SquidGames as a method to learn Korean, for the most part, we let it slide.

I was a happy bunny; we had #GoodNewsSA and it felt like the #DJSavedMyLife.  While engrossed in the #Grammy talk, I read that #Zelensky made an appearance. I did a double-take. What? I mean if you’re going to appear at the #Grammys, why not at the #Oscars too, that’s where we needed someone to put things in perspective.  I was so surprised, isn’t #Zelensky busy with a major war with a superpower?  In fact, isn’t it far more than a war? Over 4000 civilians have been killed and the western world have started to call it #Genocide. #Russia has been suspended from the Human Rights Body, while we watched body bags fill a pit.  To which #Putin said it was an elaborate hoax. #Ukraine calls for more weapons and oil prices are so wild that you should ask who is benefiting from the death of these civilians? #StateOfDisaster.

Without being callous, but always being controversial, I have to point you to some hard facts here at home.  In the past decade, five million people have died in Korea.  On our continent, five children die every minute, and at least three of those children could have lived if they had food and medication.  A total of 6.3 million children died on our continent in 2013 alone.  #StateofDisaster.  Here in SA, on average, fifty-one percent of women are subject to gender-based violence. And 76% of men admit to being guilty of GBV in one way or another.  In April last year, during lockdown, there were 120,000 cases of GBV reported.  Who know what that true number is?  #StateOfDisaster.  Did the world stop? No!  Did South Africa stop or even address this, dare I say “Genocide”?  In April last year almost 6000 civilians were killed due to crime-related incidents. And this week a school in the Eastern Cape put five hundred children in five classes in a school that has no toilets whatsoever.  #StateOfDisaster indeed, but not #Genocide according to the world’s media.

I did say the week started off well, but there are massive scales in South Africa, and we go from world class to the gutter in seconds.  #Diepsloot.  My goodness what a story.  It started with the fact that seven murders happened during the course of a week. And the police did, well, what the police do? Glide like fat snails, slow and ineffectual. Except snails don’t go backwards. According to one interview, there are parts of #Diepsloot that are so dangerous that the police won’t even drive through there.  The people started rising.   Enter #NhlanhlaLux. (His popularity is rising faster than #WillSmith can get on a stage.). Immediately #Malema said it was a #PRStint for #Lux and #Lux promptly posted a video of the people of #Diepsloot so happy you’d swear a superhero arrived to save them from the decades of horror that #Diepsloot has suffered.  Let’s be frank, that township is filled with terror.  So, the crowds take to the streets, and there are tyres burning and fear searing.  The police, now drawn to action, fired stun grenades and rubber bullets at civilians.  Some were badly hurt from the response to “protect and serve”.  Hot off the heels of these events, #Cele arrived and calmed the situation down by promising resources to the crime issue immediately and handcuffs at the ready.  I have so much respect for this man, I don’t care if you don’t agree with me.  He’s the right man for the job. Once some form of calm was restored, the EFF, largely #Malema, picked his “token rescue” from the aftermath a man called Nyathi.  We saw EFF do it in #OperationDudula’s ground force attack on drugs.  We saw them do it with #Mafe who allegedly set fire to parliament, and now this week they picked #Nyathi.  A foreign national who was beaten up in #DiepslootRage.  My skepticism radar is always working and I’m trying to understand why there is this copy paste issue with #OperationDudula.

#OperationDudula is on its way to Durban now. The police are on high alert, and we still have #PTSD from the #Insurrection.  It prompted me to study #Lux from a different angle:  Which political party is most aligned with his messaging and method of gathering support?  #PutSouthAfricansFirst is the narrative of #ActionSA.  He fits the narrative. A radical movement will not keep the middle-class voters that #Mashaba already has …, so #LeaveItToLux.  Then of course his methods of ground movement are very like #Malema’s, and we all know that the foreign support sits with the #EFF, but they can’t vote so?  The #EFF have been at the same election support level for two races, and maybe they need the locals now and we’ll see a merger of the two later?  Or is #Lux completely on his own?  He must be pretty wealthy if he is.  The branding of #OperationDudula cost a marketing arm and a leg, I promise you that.  The PR alone on this man is the stuff dreams are made of in my industry.  Something’s off, I’m not sure what.  #StateOfDisaster

#Malema has had a busy week even outside of #Diepsloot. He took #VanRiebeeckDay (do we even have such a thing) and turned it into #LandDay. His red tide flooded the gates of #Rupert’s residence.  Malema had the audacity to call the black body guard “a fool” and went on to say that #Rupert even owns the air we breathe.  He has given #Rupert fourteen days to respond to the land demands. Why doesn’t he go to #Jooste’s place, pick up that couple of billion that was stolen, and buy the land that is needed in his fight for territory?  #StateofDisaster

#Malema also gave a potential judge a hard time about some case from 19 voetsek that no one could remember.  The irony is that the very next day #Malema and #Ndlozi had to appear in court in front of a judge.  Here witnesses gave evidence of how #Malema pushed security guard #Venter. I’m not sure why testimony was necessary, there is a tape, it’s pretty clear, he did that. In fact, he was in a blind rage.  But I also understand why.  His mom had just passed away.   #MamaWinnie’s death anniversary is this week.  I wish it was true that “she did not die, she multiplied”, but it is not.  Women are fodder, swallowed whole in the gluttony of politics.  At one point in the proceedings, #Malema compared his court case to that of #SolomonMahlangu, yes you read right.  The activist from 1979 who was sentenced to death by hanging for his fight for freedom.  Really Julius, you should see someone brother.  You’re losing the plot. #StateofDisaster

Let’s switch it up, because there is far more politics to report on so I want to keep your attention. Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel – Acumen Media?  It’s the funniest thing you’ll see all week, much funnier than what you are reading.

Let me give you a quick break from the somber narrative.  Would you believe there was a #Tembisa10 docu-series?  Well, there sure was and it was entered into the #GlobalJournalismAwards.  No, it wasn’t, oh yes it was.  And the next thing, it was pulled from the awards. Well duh!  How did they even make a doccie about the #DeceptiveDecuplets?  I really, and I mean really, want to watch it.  Don’t lynch me, we all need a good laugh in this #StateofTheMediaDisaster.  Talking about telly time, I cannot wait to gobble up the #SenzoDoccie, no spoilers please.

Ok back to politics; the #President this week said “The house is on fire” as he described the state of the #ANCFactionalism.  This after a defiant #Msibi (twice murder accused) had been asked to step aside and many from the #OtherANC became enraged over this ruling.  He was telling it like it is when it dawned on me.  He’s done.  I think he’s done. I mean with his new regime, not like leaving the building done.  He did it! #WhileWeWereFighting.  He is guaranteed a second term because of the way he moved that chessboard.   Guys, he may have put the “good guys” (and I use the term liberally) in the right positions.  #DDMabuza even lost his foothold in #Mpumalanga.  And then… #Moodys upgraded us!  #DropTheDisa – Just the STAR?

There’s still so much to cover and I have run out of words.  #Nomia #RosemaryNdlovu, convicted serial killer, appeared in court this week on NEW charges. This time she had tried to kill two policemen.  I’m so glad she’s behind bars, she really is a #StateofDisaster.  A former SSA clerk who stole 170k wants his job back.  Analogue TV is dead. Buildings were torched at #UFScampus.  That underground fire in Joburg CBD last week switched off Jozi. Still #LittleFiresEverywhere. There have been arrests in the #EstherMahlangu case.  #Khoza was seen having a meltdown on Twitter, and we still don’t deal with male mental illness, do we?  Tom cruise shoots in Durban, “shoots” in the film kind of way.  The real star is coming this weekend – #Lux.

My story of the week is the #TrolleySurfer.  I’m sure you’ve seen it; it was a viral sensation across all social media.  Some guy cheated the #FuelPriceHikes and hitched a shopping trolley to an #EngenTruck.  It was pouring with rain but this guy flew down the Gauteng highways attached by his hands and a shopping trolley.  He waved to passersby with a big smile on his face.  Two things.  One, he’s madder than a box of snakes, but we all secretly hoped he was alive because the story was just so mental.  And I’m happy to tell you he survived the swaying madness, he made it. Well, he gapped it when the truck driver stopped to investigate.  And two, whoever makes those shopping trolleys should fix our infrastructure.  (Check out the YouTube video for some footage), that trolley is better than most cars!

I’m out of words, only one thing more:  #ElonMusk, currently designing the Tesla Trolley, is officially the largest shareholder of Twitter.  And Twitter tweeted to say they are testing an #EditButton. Now that is a real #Disaster.

Be safe, give a hungry person a loaf of bread if you can.

I’m Tonya Khoury and you’ve just scratched the surface with Acumen Media