NekNomination Craze gets Great Twists in South Africa

A South African guy – Brent Lindeque – has put a positive spin on the binge-drinking NekNomination craze which has recently claimed the lives of a couple of players.

#NekNomination – which is believed to have begun in Australia – began trending last month, and an Irish NekNomination Facebook page gathered 10,000 followers in less than a week. This page has today been closed, at the request of one of the bereaved fathers in Ireland.

Participants in the game, which is being played around the world, film themselves binge-drinking (or ‘skulling’ a drink as the Aussies say) and then nominate a friend or two to do the same within a timeframe of 24-hours usually. Then they upload the video to Facebook or Twitter.

Instead of downing alcohol, Brent has decided to use the social media game to tackle a serious issue that affects so many South Africans instead – poverty.

“I’ve decided to create something positive out of the random global phenomena of NekNominations,” says Brent. “Downing a can of Castle Light is easy… imagine if we all harnessed the power of social media to make a real difference in peoples lives. #OnlyGoodThings”

The NekNomination FB page (which people are calling on to close down) has welcomed Brent’s video, posting the following message: “ok here it is guys, on 20 Jan we posted a video promoting the next internet craze which encouraged people to go out and give to the homeless and needy. well finally someone has found a way to combine this with #neknominate, what a legend. now get on your bikes people and contribute so that this whole thing ends with a positive instead of the dark cloud that is lingering atm.”

A South African NekNomination – Brent Lindeque

And Now for another Twist – Jason Bagley

Fellow South African Jason Bagley also decided to perform a random act of kindness AND to evolve the game to include women!

UPDATE: Join the NekNation movement, inspired by Brent, to turn NekNomination into something positive.