“Keep Moving Forward”: Johannesburg Man Shares Afrikaner Method of Dealing With Tough Times

• An American tour guide living in Johannesburg shared an inspiring Afrikaans proverb to motivate people during difficult times
• The viral video resonated with over 1000 South Africans who are struggling with the ongoing challenges facing the country
• The message comes at a time when many citizens feel let down by government promises, with economic issues continuing despite assurances made by the President

An American tour guide's simple but powerful message about resilience has touched the hearts of South Africans dealing with the country's ongoing challenges.

Joe Fleming, who runs the Instagram page @sotallrightnow on social media, shared a video on the 7 of July explaining an Afrikaans saying that has helped many people push through tough times.

In the video, Fleming explained:

"Alright, so here in South Africa, there's a saying when times get tough, as an Afrikaans saying, ons kyk noord en fok voort and essentially what it means is keep your head up and keep moving forward. So if you are struggling through something, keep your head up and keep moving forward."

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The tour guide, who describes himself as sharing "the magic of 'Here in South Africa'" and works with various wellness adventures, regularly posts content about South African culture, businesses, and the relationships he's built while living in Johannesburg.

The video went viral with over 1000 reactions, showing how much South Africans needed to hear these words of encouragement. The country is currently facing numerous challenges, including high unemployment rates, especially among young people, rising inflation, increased living costs, and ongoing issues with crime and gender-based violence.

Many citizens are feeling frustrated with the government's handling of these problems, particularly as basic services like electricity remain expensive and unreliable.

South Africans embrace the message

The positive response to Fleming's video showed how much people needed this reminder:

@sydneygeyer209 commented:

"Someone is giving you really good advice 👍"

@liz_sorrell requested:

"More Nova content please Joe 😍"

@rob_scott88 agreed:

"Wise words that I live by 👌🙌"

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@adventure_chef_ash1 added:

"Sureeee bru, love that saying 🤌🫶"

@robertrobinson65 encouraged:

"You are an inspiration. Keep going."

Government promises in South africa

According to the South African Government, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed many of these concerns in his 2024 State of the Nation Address. He spoke about efforts to end load-shedding, create jobs through various programmes, fight corruption, and improve the economy. The President mentioned achievements like creating 1.7 million work opportunities and connecting young people to job prospects through digital platforms.

However, many South Africans feel that these promises haven't translated into real improvements in their daily lives. With unemployment rates still extremely high and the cost of basic necessities continuing to rise, people are looking for hope and strength to keep going despite these ongoing struggles.

The Afrikaans phrase shared by Fleming offers exactly that kind of encouragement, a reminder that even when things seem impossible, the solution is to keep your head up and keep moving forward rather than giving up completely.

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Watch the Facebook reel below:

Other stories of South Africans facing challenges

• Briefly News recently reported on Ntsiki Mazwai's call for protests over high electricity prices, revealing her frustration with the government's handling of basic services that many citizens can no longer afford.
• A woman's showcase of a luxurious R5 million Cape Town home sparked outrage among South Africans who questioned whether such property prices are justified during tough economic times.
• A Johannesburg woman's comparison of what R1000 could buy in 2010 versus today left viewers heartbroken about how much the country's economic situation has declined over the years.

Source: Briefly News