Gen Z Revolutions: from TikTok to the streets

Across continents, a generation raised on memes and Wi-Fi is turning outrage into uprising.

What started as hashtags is now a full-blown youth revolt shaking governments from Kathmandu to Pretoria.

It began in Nepal when the government banned 26 social media platforms, including Instagram and WhatsApp. Within days, thousands of young people took their fight offline. Nineteen were killed before the ban was lifted.

Then came Madagascar. Power cuts, corruption, chaos. Protesters filled the streets. The president fled.

Two countries. Two crises. One restless generation pushing back.

The spark caught fast. From Jakarta to Casablanca. From Lima to Nairobi.
In Morocco, young activists are demanding jobs and accountability.
In Peru, they’re taking on corruption and unfair pension reforms.

No leaders. No manifestos. Just TikTok, Discord and a shared digital heartbeat. Teenagers in tiny towns speak the same slang, stream the same clips, and know they’re part of something global.

They’re young. They’re loud. They don’t take orders well.

They want fairness, jobs, equality and a planet that can still breathe.
They don’t trust politicians. They don’t wait for promises.

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga says, “We’ve seen democracies becoming dysfunctional. This kind of uprising was always coming, driven by a generation that feels disillusioned.”

Here at home, youth unemployment sits near 60 percent. Nearly half of young South Africans say democracy doesn’t listen.

They’re motivated but frustrated. Angry but organised.

And as Ralph warns, that disillusionment can make them easy targets for those who twist hope into hate.

They’ve inherited a system that’s broken in plain sight.

They’ve marched, posted and shouted.

Now comes the hardest part - turning protest into power.

Early 2025:

Nepal bans social media - youth revolt - 19 dead, ban lifted.

Weeks later:

Madagascar protests over corruption topple president.

Military steps in; young activists sidelined.

Mid-2025:

Morocco Peru, and Kenya see mass youth marches.

Across Africa & Asia:

TikTok and Discord become global protest hubs.

Shared memes and music fuel a cross-border youth identity.

South Africa, 2025:

Youth unemployment is more than 60%.

Rising online activism; digital campaigns call for accountability.

Experts warn: disillusionment is spreading and a new wave could be coming.