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The why of humour during a crisis: An exploration of COVID-19 memes in South Africa and Zimbabwe
(Journal of African Media Studies, 2021-02-26) Msimanga, M.J.; Tshuma, L.A.; Matsilele, T.
This article inquires why humour flourishes in face of tragedy. Memes, as we argue, give people a sense of power as they offer commentary that critiques and mocks the government policies and ineptness, simultaneously offering a sense of hope and relief in face of the pandemic. With a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, this study probed the nature, character and the why of humour in two southern African countries: South Africa and Zimbabwe. Findings show that memes were used to comment on lockdown regulations and speak against public authorities, to raise awareness of COVID-19 and expose poor health delivery systems. Our findings show that memes in South and Zimbabwe were used to bring dialogue about the COVID-19 pandemic and communicate health-related issues.