#imstaying

“We have to get out of this darn country, Bokkie! Look at the state of it - violence and crime and corruption and Malema… Immigration, Liefie! It’s the only way.”

For as long as I can remember, outbursts such as these have been running rampant through many South African households. Talk of immigration, of escaping to a distant utopia in the north, have become nothing short of established fireside discourse at the weekly braai. However, since it was launched on the 7th of September earlier this year, a spectre seems to be haunting South African Facebook - the spectre of optimism.

In case you remain cautiously unaware of what I’m talking about, allow me to introduce you to the #ImStaying Facebook group. The description identifies the group’s raison d’être as wanting “to honour all those who still believe that we as a nation can turn things around.” Participants of the group attempt to achieve this goal by posting and sharing inspirational stories about South Africa, its inhabitants and its “good vibes” on the daily. With over 700 000 members as of mid-October, the assembly of this group seems to prove that the promotion of positivity on the modern internet is not just an urban legend.

By conducting a quick scroll-through of the page’s recent activity, it is clear that South Africans truly have taken to sharing the positive stories they have about life in our country. With tales of success, love and acceptance of diversity crowding your dash, it is hard to avoid a smile or two. In Worcester, a little girl has been cancer-free for three years. In Soweto, a hungry man down on his luck was bought a 10 kg bag of mieliemeel to feed his family. There’s a proud mother in Ekasi celebrating her daughter’s completion of a Master’s degree in engineering and a young nurse was just hired in Kempton Park. Forget a smile - some might even say this warrants a misty eye.

But despite the unbridled cheer, the viral internet page is not without its criticisms. For one, #ImStaying was accused of perpetuating a “white saviour” narrative. This complaint was first ledged by public speaker Brett “Fish” Anderson in a blog update after many posts on the Facebook page had started following the standard outline of “poor, impoverished person of colour helped in time of need and is now forever grateful to white benefactor.”

Many participants have in turn labelled this as overzealous nitpicking - if South Africans are starting to take some pride in their country for the first time since 1994, why can’t we let them? Others agreed with Anderson and added more critiques to his original sin-counter for the page, such as the accusation of sugarcoating the dire situation that our country finds itself in.

However, opinions are said to be generally akin to armpits: ever present, but not exactly something of great particular importance to anyone besides the owner. Either way, the constructive impact of this group is undeniable. Amongst the scores of delightful anecdotes, several posts explain how the page has helped individuals find a new sense of hope for our country - a sense of hope that they can now channel into the betterment of South Africa as a whole. Whatever your perspective is, the fact remains that if everyone leaves, no one will be left to fix the above-mentioned problems. The violence, the crime, the corruption and even the Malema will remain unless there are people to address it, and for that reason, #ImStaying.