“What Is Happening Here?”: SA Flag at World War II Memorial Stirs Emotions As Mzansi Questions

• A TikTok video captured a solemn wreath-laying ceremony in France where a South African flag flew alongside the French tricolour
• The footage showed civilians, children, and uniformed officials bowing their heads before a war memorial in a small French town
• South Africans flooded the comments demanding answers about why the SA flag was present at the commemoration

A video shared on TikTok on 14 July 2026 stopped South Africans in their tracks. Footage posted by Athi Geleba, Head of Digital Communications in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa showed a formal wreath-laying ceremony unfolding in what appeared to be a small French town.

The clip captured a solemn procession of people, wearing the French flag as a sash. The procession carried large floral wreaths toward a memorial monument and nearby, military and gendarmerie officers stood at attention in full dress uniform. The group then bowed their heads in silence before the memorial, while a small crowd of onlookers watched and photographed the moment.

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SA remembers soldiers who died in World War II battle

President Cyril Ramaphosa joined the110-year commemoration in France to honour South African soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of Delville Wood in 1916. The event at the South African National Memorial in Longueval included wreath-laying and the unveiling of a UNESCO plaque recognising the site’s importance. The commemoration remembers the bravery and sacrifice of South African troops during one of the country’s most significant wartime battles.

View the TikTok video below:

Mzansi Wants Answers

South Africans in the comments of the Athi Geleba's page were moved but also puzzled by the flag's presence:

@Sanza wrote:

"There is no caption 😭😭 but maybe it is for a young South African player who died in France."

@lesedie53 asked:

"And then South African flag??"

@MuziM commented:

"Hi Athi, could you confirm if the session was arranged as a tribute to honour the memory of the late Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa? The session looks so emotional. 🥲"

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@zuks 🇿🇦 reacted:

"Yho caba funeka sibuze kwenzekani." [Yho, we really need to ask what is happening.]

More Briefly News Stories on commemorations

• A moving Youth Day performance at Soweto Theatre celebrating the legacy of Sarafina! and the 1976 Soweto Uprising through music, dance and storytelling touched many South Africans online.
• Jacob Zuma accused the ANC of “gatekeeping” the legacy of struggle hero Solomon Mahlangu, saying freedom fighters’ histories should not belong to one organisation.
• A North Durban school community is mourning the passing of beloved former teacher Rosemary Adams, with former pupils and colleagues sharing emotional tributes about the lasting impact she had on their lives.

Source: Briefly News