Those who did not attend former president Nelson Mandela's memorial service yesterday still had an optimal view of the proceedings from their social media accounts.
The aspect that likely flooded social platforms the most is the crowd's booing of president Jacob Zuma. It is reported that the booing of Zuma received five million hits on Google in only two hours, and #MandelaMemorial and Zuma has been trending on Twitter since yesterday.
The memorial was streamed live on the Internet by a number of news agencies. The jeering first started when the president's face was shown on the big screen at the FNB stadium, where the memorial was taking place. This was followed by contrasting cheering for former president Thabo Mbeki and US president Barack Obama.
Well-known local comedian Trevor Noah tweeted yesterday: "People shouldn't have booed Zuma at Mandela's memorial. But it's crazy that their anger supersedes their pain." Crime Line head Yusuf Abramjee also used Twitter to condemn the booing, saying it was wrong to boo at the memorial. "There is a time and place for everything."
Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille spoke out on Twitter, tweeting: "In a democracy you listen to your opponents, and boo at the ballot box. SA please become a mature democracy!" Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson, Clayson Monyela, tweeted that "the small minded group that came [to the stadium] with the intention to 'embarrass' SA" should not be rewarded by turning them into a story.
Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj reportedly dismissed the booing, saying it was a small number of people jeering and "it was over in four minutes".
Another happening at the memorial that quickly went viral on social media platforms was Obama's selfie with Danish prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and British prime minister David Cameron.
A photographer captured the trio during a candid moment taking the picture at the memorial, with Obama's wife Michelle next to him, keeping her eyes fixed on the podium. Thousands spoke out about the picture on Twitter, with some calling it inappropriate and others finding it humorous.
Selfie, a photograph that is taken by yourself, particularly with a smartphone, was recently named Oxford Dictionaries' word of the year.
Madiba money
Meanwhile, the new South African bank notes sporting Mandela's face on the front are selling for top prices on e-commerce Web sites.
A full set of the five bank notes worth R380 is selling for $108 - about R1 100 - on eBay. Another set of three bank notes (R10, R20 and R50) is selling for $37.99 (about R390). Various other Madiba memorabilia is going for premium prices on the site, such as a 24K gold proof RSA bank note selling for about R850, and a set of gold proof Mandela bank notes going for just over R2 500.
Buyers can also fork out for Mandela collectables on Bid or Buy. The site offers a copy of the former president's autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom", signed by Madiba, for R14 999. The first issue of Die Burger newspaper in a democratic SA, published on 28 April 1994, can be bought for R1 989 and an unused R5 Mandela coin is going for R1 250.
Sign of trouble
Twitter-users took to the platform in anger from yesterday regarding the sign language interpreter on stage at the memorial. Many accused the interpreter of making no sense, saying he kept making the same movements despite what was being said.
Wilma Newhoudt, a deaf member of Parliament, tweeted: "The so-called interpreter on the stage with Cde Cyril is not signing. He's just making up. Get him out of TV sight". She said other deaf people also confirmed to her that he is "not signing or interpreting".
National director of the Deaf Federation of SA, Bruno Peter Druchen, tweeted that the interpreter was not using sign language. "He is making up the signs, have NO idea how he got the job." Deaf activist Alison Bryan tweeted to ANC spokesperson Keith Khoza to not allow "the fake interpreter" at Sunday's funeral as it "would be beyond embarrassing".
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