Selfie-made personalities flaunt it
IT’S no surprise that local stars such as Bonang Matheba, Khanyi Mbau, Roxy Burger, Ntando Duma and Lerato Kganyago are fans of the modernday self-portrait.
But the trend has even made its way into the upper echelons of the government, with politicians joining in.
The minister of razzmatazz, Fikile Mbalula, attracts thousands of likes for selfies that are usually accompanied by captions such as “parliament situation right now #AppropriationBill”.
“Well I like taking selfies because I like my face,” says a giggling Minnie Dlamini, adding that good lighting and knowing one’s best angles were important. “So practise in the mirror.” The 25-year-old is one of many starlets who frequently post their images online to legions of followers.
“For me, social media has become a huge platform to market ourselves,” says model Shashi Naidoo. The 35year-old regularly posts selfies to her 73 000 followers on Instagram. “I specifically know that when I post a picture of fashion, people like it. So you start to see what people like,” she says.
Local lads turning their faces to the most flattering angle for social media consumption include soccer players such as Teko Modise and Siphiwe Tshabalala and television personalities like Chris Jaftha. “I do like taking selfies just because it’s the thing to do on social media,” says Jaftha. “But we look really silly doing it.”
Actress Samkelo Ndlovu, however, said she had no issues with posting selfies. “I own my vanity. It is what it is,” she says. “I think they are a very fun and cute things and my followers like it.”
But not everybody thinks the trend is all fun and games, including the Independent Electoral Commission. Those making their mark at the polls with a selfie in the voting booth in August will have to think twice as the commission has a plan to take action against them. Deputy CEO Sy Mamabolo said: “The constitution demands that people cast their votes in secret. We are of the view that it should not be encouraged for anyone to take a selfie of the marked ballot.”
And beware: your pout-perfect snapshot could go viral and attract the long arm of the law, as it did for a Durban student last year. When Nicci Redelinghuys posted a selfie of herself driving, she felt the Department of Transport’s ire. The snap showed her leaning out of the window, tongue sticking out, with the caption: “So yesterday I was driving on the N3 trying to take a selfie. lol. I kept looking at the camera and forgetting to watch the road! But I guess finally I got it kind of right! I still look scared as s**t.”
Other selfies have catapulted their subjects into the prying eyes of the public. Pulane Lenkoe was a littleknown law student when her nude selfies (allegedly leaked by her ex-boyfriend) went viral. She trended for days after that, becoming an overnight star. — Thembalethu Zulu