Video of Home Affairs Officer Addicted to Her Cellphone Goes Viral

Studies have been done on South African teenagers’ addiction to cellphones… but it seems our adults are just as addicted! A video is going viral on social media of a Home Affairs office worker glued to her mobile phone, whilst attempting to work at the same time. Watch below.

The video was shared on Twitter by Department of Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, who himself was recently photographed playing Candy Crush on his ipad whilst President Cyril Ramaphosa was addressing Parliament.

Cellphones in South Africa have been called the “new cigarette” for the rapid rate at which people become addicted.

On Wednesday morning, Gigaba tweeted: “I was this morning informed about the video circulating on social media platforms, and have asked the Department of @HomeAffairsSA to investigate this matter and take swift action against the official.”

As Gigaba himself should understand social media addiction, Twitter users have urged him to not fire the woman featured in the video, but reprimand her accordingly.

According to reports in 2016, a study by a Unisa professor found cellphone addiction in SA teens was resulting in “stunted emotional and educational growth and withdrawal symptoms similar to those experienced in substance abuse if the phone is taken away”.

According to a local report in 2014, South Africa was ranked fifth in the world for mobile data usage, with more cellphones in South Africa than taxis, televisions and radios combined.

https://twitter.com/mgigaba/status/973796787923374081

Last month’s photo of Minister Malusi Gigaba playing Candy Crush in Parliament:

Candy Crush has the Finance Minister busy #PresidentElection pic @gerbjan pic.twitter.com/dVsBMVyfBc

— Mvelase (@BongaDlulane) February 15, 2018