News Media Coverage of the South African BRICS Summit Through Indigenous Languages: A Framing Analysis of SABC Mafhungo X Account

Abstract

For several decades, the use of the internet to frame stories has posed significant challenges for conventional media houses globally, including in South Africa (SA). Moreover, what remains largely unexplored is the impact of using Indigenous languages to cover international events on social media platforms in South Africa. To address this research gap, this study examines the framing strategies employed by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Mafhungo X account (formerly Twitter) in its Tshivenḓa-language coverage of the South African BRICS Summit 2023. It also explores how online audiences engaged with and responded to this coverage. Guided by Entman’s framing theory, this study employs a qualitative content analysis of a selected sample of tweets to identify the themes, narratives, and linguistic frames used in the coverage. Additionally, sentiment analysis was conducted to assess public engagement and perception of the Summit through Tshivenḓa-language news discourse. Findings reveal that SABC Mafhungo X used a diverse range of frames, including economic development, regional cooperation, technological innovations, health, electricity, and BRICS expansion. These linguistic frames were found to resonate strongly with the predominantly Tshivenḓa-speaking audience, contributing to positive and increased engagement on X. The study concludes that Indigenous language coverage of global events enhances public engagement, broadens media representation, and challenges dominant English-centric narratives in digital media spaces. These findings underscore the importance of linguistic inclusivity in social media news discourse and suggest that similar approaches could be adopted to promote other marginalized languages in global communication.