“It can be quite intimidating, and I think many shoppers were quite frightened. It was a large mob of young people and we do know that teenagers do scare older people. When they are in groups and particularly when they essentially look like they’re in uniform and they’re there with a purpose,” the sentiments of Bronwyn Williams, a Social Media Expert and Futurist, speaking about the chaotic events which took place over the weekend at Mall of Africa.
Despite the concerning situation regarding public safety, security and the reported allegations of fatal assault, Williams said this new social media, Luh Twizzy, trend is not something which should be feared. However, it is a cause for concern.
Recently scores of teenagers flooded the Mall of Africa causing unprecedented disruptions to the established order. Reports suggest their behaviour is similar to the chaos and anarchy witnessed at Monte Casino last year.
Williams suggests this move was coordinated and organised through online channels, specifically TikTok, under the codename ‘the mall challenge’. This challenge encourages young people to rush into malls to cause disruptions and then leave abruptly.
“The Luh Twizzy movement started on social media roundabout 2018. It’s been building for quite some time. It’s turned into quite a deep subculture with an aesthetic, values, or lack thereof … And it’s centred in urban, particularly, Johannesburg youth culture.”
Although some may perceive this as typical teenage behaviour, Williams believes there is a deeper, more meaningful subtext which exists.
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Stagnant Youthful Energy in the Country
Williams highlights the plight of the youth in the country, who she believes are faced with stagnation and disenfranchisement, leading them to form online digital subcultures centred around famous musicians and fandoms. This subculture can be highly attractive and appealing to young people.
Observing social media posts, one can see hundreds of teenagers donning similar colours of urban streetwear, exuding their youthful energy. Williams notes that their lack of inclusion in different aspects of society creates a space for them to form communities with shared values, which can “snowball”.
However, due to the absence of positive and productive outlets for their time and energy, teenagers often channel it in other ways which can spill over into civil society. This has created a concerning situation, highlighting the urgent need for youth empowerment programs and other initiatives to help positively channel their energy.
“This call to action [storm malls] that is put out on social media, to go out and cause chaos, is a very explicit call … Symptomatic of a lot of the change that’s going on in society, both locally and globally. There is this undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the systems that govern our world, whether they are democracy, capitalism or globalism. There’s a lot of discontent, particularly among young people, about the systems and structures around them, and they are looking to break them down … But this whole idea of breaking down a society that isn’t working for us and causing chaos in that society, [are calls] to the fact that things are not okay for many people and is something we’re going to see more of.”
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Luh Twizzy’s Potential to be Something More?
In Williams opinion, the ‘mall challenge’ is a purposeless act that aims to cause chaos and disrupt order. This sets it apart from other challenges, such as the Ice Bucket Challenge, with a specific meaning or charitable intent attached.
However, despite the chaos and anarchy caused by the ‘mall challenge’, it has the potential to evolve into something more organised. According to Williams, some participants have hinted that there was some sort of leadership structure on display over the weekend.
At present, the ‘mall challenge’ appears to be all about fun and chaos with unspecified ends. But Williams suggests that if a leader can harness and drive this untapped youthful energy in the country, it could have political applications.
“This could be an opportunity. We are seeing that there is youthful energy in this country. Young people are making themselves heard even if they’re not being seen in the political realm. They are here, they are among us, and they are looking for something. They are seeking a leader … And that is an opportunity. If there are good, noble leaders among us to harness that energy … [It could be an] opportunity, but it could also be a threat …So, I’m looking at the space very carefully because we are overdue for a messiah-type figure that’s going to harness that youthful energy.”
