#BringBackDurbanBaby - social media unites the country
Another week, another trending hashtag... last
Friday the horrifying story of a baby being abducted during a hijacking spread
across the country in wildfire fashion.
Two days later the baby was found when the police discovered her in a roadblock (set up for the purpose) at the Marianhill Toll Plaza and the story took a bizarre turn. Sorrow on social media turned into rage as people discovered that they had been duped and the hijacking had been staged.
It is in situations such as these that the full gamut of human emotions are seen on social media however people need to be aware that however strongly they feel about a situation it cannot be a justification to incite mob violence or retribution.
Read: The love for #BabySiwaphiwe united KZN
One social media user posted a picture of a person holding two machine guns saying “where is the mother”.
One positive to come out of this awful story is how quickly the South African united in their calls to find Baby Siwaphiwe from all sectors of society. We should not need a tragedy like this to be a catalyst for harmony.
@LeHong omg! Firstly babies shouldn't b left in the cars!Anon was very helpful..this is so sad.i give up on SA crimes👐👐😿#BringBackDurbanBaby
— Nnyana👄 (@DeLiAdELiLA) March 11, 2017
So the car has been found but not the baby? I mean what's more important #Bringbackdurbanbaby
— Sandile Ndaba (@theonlysandile) March 11, 2017
#HelpFindDurbanBaby No news about #BabySiwaphiwe couldn't sleep, kept checking my phone for updates 😭 Please bring her back to her mommy!
— Chanté (@ChantelleNaude) March 11, 2017
#HelpFindDurbanBaby #babySiwaphiwe siqhubeka sinjalo praying🙏🙏 for u nana to come back home safe
— wandisa (@wararah) March 11, 2017
#babySiwaphiwe you are constantly on my heart & mind,I can't stop wondering what kind of night you've had love & light #HelpFindDurbanBaby
— Jane Linley-Thomas (@JaneLinleyT) March 11, 2017
#HelpFindDurbanBaby morning... may #babySiwaphiwe be found today unharmed 🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/RPh1TWgY3Y
— Carol Ofori (@CarolOfori) March 11, 2017
Verlie Oosthuizen
Shepstone & Wylie Social Media Law Department