Dark Humour, Ubuntu and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case of Subaltern Humouring of Political Elite Deaths on Social Media

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic, as expressed in almost all chapters in this volume, saw world economies show decline, many people losing their lives or loved ones, and environments being changed from normal to the 'new normal'. In the process, the spread of fake news about the virus and subsequent vaccines, and humorous celebration of the death of those considered public enemies found fertile ground on social media and other alternative public spheres. COVID-19 affected most countries around the globe, especially at the start of 2020, and in the process, they went on lockdown, whereby people's livelihoods, economies and educational and social lives were impacted as some lost their means of income (Matsilele, 2021). In the process some companies, especially technology companies and courier companies, made booming profits as people's homes became