“Salute”: SA Praises Young Man for Speaking Out Against Exploitation of the Townships for Aesthetics

• A young man made waves online after confronting agencies, film crews, and celebrities for exploiting township visuals while ignoring its people
• In a passionate clip shared on TikTok, the man called out those who use township settings for their raw, gritty aesthetic without ever giving back or staying back longer than they have to
• The emotional video struck a chord online, with many users applauding his boldness, saying things most people were afraid to say

A local guy captured the internet's attention with one brutal, honest clip, and the streets were fully behind him.

His video was reposted by TikTok user @newsnexussa, attracting massive views, likes, and comments from social media users who commended him for being truthful.

The young man passionately speaks out

In the video, the man came through with fire, asking brands and famous faces to stop filming in the township if they don't care about the people living in it. He wasn't shy about calling out how cameras love the rawness and gritty visuals of the hood, and said when it comes to putting money into those streets, they disappear. He warned those who enter the township with nothing but camera crews and fake concern to stop using poverty like it's an aesthetic.

The young man reminded everyone that it's not just white creatives doing it, saying black celebrities were also guilty of that. He slammed them for treating local kasis like a trend, saying it would be better if they were fixing schools or even building parks for little kids, and not just seeing townships as good for vibes and visuals.

Watch the TikTok video below:

International films fuel township economic growth

In recent years, international films have prominently featured South African townships, exporting their aesthetic globally. According to the NFVF’s 2021 Economic Impact Assessment, South Africa’s shoots contribute jobs and infrastructure use, boosting local economies.

Between November 2023 and June 2024, foreign productions with several set in townships injected R2.52 billion into the country and accounted for over 59,000 hotel bed nights, generating R148 million for hospitality. However, local communities often receive only a small share of location fees.

Here are a few Hollywood movies filmed in South African townships:

1. District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi thriller was shot on location in Chiawelo, Soweto, using genuine slum shacks to lend gritty authenticity to District 9.
2. Chappie (2015): Blomkamp returned to Johannesburg, filming across inner-city areas to portray a dystopian slum where his robot comes to life.
3. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016): The zombie epic staged one of its battles inside Ponte Tower in Hillbrow, transforming the high-rise into a post-apocalyptic battleground.

Mzansi reacts to the young man's video

The post attracted floods of comments from social media users who cheered for the young man. Many said he spoke facts and didn't leave anything unsaid. Some said he should be schooling leaders, while others were calling for him to consider joining politics. Others praised how he stood firm and represented the real township voice, unfiltered and powerful, even though he was of a different race.

User @Richard James Newton said:

"For a few to be rich, many must be poor. It will never change my brothers and sisters. It's by design ❤️🇿🇦."

User @Collen added:

"True, most of us celebrities go to the townships to shoot content, then disappear but we are not giving back to our township communities."

User @tsekelekeliverecap shared:

"OMG YES! Every TV soapie is filmed in a kasi, and they do nothing to give back to the community. They will occasionally donate R5 Shoprite sanitary pads to schools."

User @Leofire commented:

"You should become the government of South Africa. As young as you are, you make more sense than the rest 🔥🔥."

User @amanda_mrobo🇿🇦 added:

"He's brilliant."

User @Vanessa said:

"Salute, you don't sugarcoat."

3 Briefly News articles about kasis

• A woman who has lived in different townships near Cape Town advised those who can afford to get out of the townships, calling them toxic.
• A kasi landlord showed off her vandalised rental apartment, adding that her tenants just left without notifying her and that she had never asked them for a deposit.
• A woman heard a noise from the back of her house around 2 am, and when she checked, she saw an old gogo kneeling.

Hilary Sekgota, human interest head of desk at Briefly News, contributed to this article.

Source: Briefly News