Captain Siya Kolisi kicks off South African Guinness World Record attempt

Today, as South Africans experience the first day of the 21-day national lockdown, Springbok Rugby Captain, Siya Kolisi, will head up a digital fist-bump relay in an attempt at the Guinness World Record for the longest social media fist-bump relay in a 24-hour period.

MTN SA will also temporarily change its slogan from “everywhere you go” to “everywhere you stay” in an effort to encourage South Africans to observe the call to stay home during the national lockdown.

The relay, initiated by MTN, stands as a reminder of the importance of social distancing at this time, but it is also a reminder to stay positive and united against this pandemic.

 “Now more than ever, we need to unite while doing what we can to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections. While this means staying apart, it also means staying connected as South Africans for the good of our nation and our people,” says Jacqui ‘O Sullivan, Executive for Corporate Affairs: MTN SA.

Siya has just begun the social media fist-bump relay, challenging a few of his friends and followers to pass it on.

Now it’s up to all of us to keep it going – to family, friends, colleagues, Facebook friends, Twitter and Instagram followers, and every other South African isolated at home.

Here’s how it will work:

• Siya Kolisi has already recorded and posted a video of himself giving a fist-bump to a ‘screen’ to the right and has uploaded it to Instagram Stories @siya_kolisi_the_bear
• To receive Siya’s fist-bump, South Africans should record themselves receiving a fist bump from a ‘screen’ on the left. And then passing it on to the next person, along with a call-out for them to do the same.
• To pass on a fist-pump on to your family, friends and followers, you should record yourself giving a fist-bump to a ‘screen’ on the left
• Post your fist-bumps to Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories, Facebook posts/DMs, or on Twitter as videos or DMs.
• Remember to tag @MTNza with the hashtag: #EverywhereYouStay otherwise your fist-bump won’t count towards the world record entry
• After 24 hours, MTN will collate all videos into a collage, which will be shared with Guinness World Records – and on @MTNza for you to check out.
• We then hold thumbs and hope South Africa is recognised as the world record holder of the world’s longest online fist-bump relay

Currently, the world’s largest online photo album of people fist-bumping consists of 82,710 photos, achieved by Wanda Kidsland Group Co. Ltd in China on 6 September 2018.

The largest online video album of people fist-bumping consists of 10,660 videos, achieved by Pepsi (USA) on 14 November 2016.

“At MTN, we are committed to keeping South Africans connected for the next 21 days and beyond. Initiating the world’s longest digital fist-bump relay forms part of our efforts to encourage South Africans to remain in high spirits as far as possible and connected to those they love, if only digitally, during this challenging time,” says Jacqui ‘O Sullivan, Executive for Corporate Affairs: MTN SA.

MTN – #WeGotU #EverywhereYouStay (for the next 21 days).