South African content creator and current-affairs commentator Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa says she’s taking a step back from social media after a wave of online backlash, which she claims included hostile messages and death threats. The decision follows her comments on the lead-up to the March on March movement, which is set for 30 June 2026.
In a TikTok video shared on Sunday, Jaxa read from a personal essay titled “Things That Keep Me Up At Night: Are We A Generation That Thinks More Than It Does?” She reflected on the public reaction to her latest upload, where she discussed Afrophobia, xenophobia, and the economic pressures facing South Africa.
The controversy, she explained, started after she posted a video titled “Afrophobia Is Not Going To Fix Our Economy.” Jaxa said she made the clip after receiving many requests for her take on the March on March movement planned for 30 June 2026.
Within the video, Jaxa argued that South Africa’s struggles should be understood primarily as a governance problem, rather than being blamed solely on immigration issues.
“My actual point was to underline that we have a governance issue more than we have an illegal immigration issue, and that for as long as we don’t treat the disease, we end up spending our lives punishing the symptom,” she said.
Jaxa also claimed that the reaction to her comments was immediate and intense.
“There is a call to unfollow me, there are threats in my DM, and my comments are filled with insults about my accent and my vocabulary,” she added.
Even with the criticism, she said she won’t delete the original video. She also said she values dialogue that stays constructive, noting that she appreciates people who disagree with her in a respectful way.
“These people have brought in new stories, new ideas, and new facts, and for me that’s more important than a gotcha moment or just being right,” she said.
During her update, Jaxa pointed to a TikTok video by TikTok creator Vuyi Qotoyi, saying the immigration debate analysis there shaped how she thought about the topic.
Jaxa emphasized Qotoyi’s position that different truths can exist at the same time—she noted that illegal immigration is a real concern for many South Africans, while some responses to it may carry damaging consequences.
She said the backlash also pushed her to think more carefully about what academics, researchers, and public intellectuals are doing to address South Africa’s economic challenges.
“It’s all well and good to highlight what the problems are in this country, but what are we academics doing about it?” she asked.
Jaxa used the moment to urge organisations, researchers, coalitions, and community groups working on economic justice initiatives to connect with her. She said she hopes to use her platform to spotlight efforts that focus on sustainable economic solutions.
Among the approaches she believes deserve more attention are investments in infrastructure, support for townships and small businesses, and stronger social protection measures aimed at lowering people’s economic risk.
Still, she said the emotional impact of the online reaction appears to have played a major role in her decision to pause and rethink her presence online.
“Some of the insults did hurt. Some of the death threats did seem real. And I think I just need to take a little bit of a time out and reevaluate what I add on this platform,” she said.
Jaxa also revealed that she no longer plans to post opinion-driven, subjective content. She said she listened to both supporters and critics throughout the debate.
“I am never going to make subjective videos ever again. I’ve heard everybody loud and clear,” she said.
While she maintained that many of her views still stand, Jaxa acknowledged that some criticisms were fair. She reiterated her intention to keep learning from perspectives that differ from her own.
She wrapped up her message by repeating her call for practical economic answers and encouraging her followers to suggest organisations and movements pushing for economic freedom in South Africa.
