Social Media Reacts After Nonhle Thema Claims She Introduced Twitter to South Africa

Nonhle Thema has become one of South Africa’s biggest trending topics after claiming she introduced X (formerly Twitter), to the country. The statement was made during an interview on 947 Drive with Thando Thabethe.  Many users are debating whether the claim was accurate or an exaggeration.

Nonhle Thema rose to fame in 2007, emerging as one of South Africa’s leading “It girls” and a prominent television presenter. While she made several statements, her remark about Twitter got more reactions. Many users on X questioned the claim.  Others argued that while she may not have introduced the platform, she was among the first South African celebrities to make Twitter popular. 

Photo: Instagram

Mnu Mpofana said

“Maybe one of the first South African celebrities to trend on Twitter but not introduce South Africa to Twitter. I was on Twitter around 2009 & she was trending around the end of 2011 if I’m not mistaken.”

For Ndlombango, she laughed it off saying, 

“She was one of the first Black people to stay in Bryanston, first person to introduce Twitter in SA? Nonhle akame kancane man. Please.”

Several posts compared her influence with that of other South African celebrities who were active on Twitter during its early days. 

Read Also: Mapaseka Koetle Says Goodbye to Dintle Nyathi as Her Scandal! Journey Ends

Another moment that attracted attention was Thando Thabethe’s facial expressions during the interview. Clips and screenshots of the radio host reacting to Thema’s comments went viral, with fans saying she is speaking the truth. 

Photo: Instagram

Not everyone dismissed Thema’s comments. Some fans defended her. Those in this category argued that she had a massive television career, attended international entertainment events and built one of the country’s largest celebrity followings on Twitter. Supporters said her popularity encouraged many fans to join the platform to follow her updates, even if she did not introduce Twitter to the country.

The interview got reactions from fellow celebrities. Television personality Somizi Mhlongo joined the conversation by posting a humorous TikTok using audio linked to the interview. After some people accused him of mocking Thema, Somizi said, 

“So, can’t we have fun anymore? I wasn’t mocking anything. It was a sound that I thought was nice and still think it’s nice!” he said.

Whether people agreed with Nonhle Thema’s claim or not, the interview brought one of South Africa’s most talked about media personalities back into the spotlight. The online debate continues, with opinions split between those who see her statement as an overstatement and those who believe she had the influence to achieve such a feat.