An Investigation of Exploitation and Labour Within Memes Production: A Case Study of South African Student Meme Pages

This study investigates labour, and exploitation within the production and consumption of student memes in South Africa. Using two case studies of two prominent South African student meme pages found on Instagram, UCT Just Kidding (@uctjustkidding) and Wits Just Kidding (@witsjustkidding), and critical political economy theory coupled with interviews conducted with administrators and meme creators from both pages, the study interrogated the notion of labour and the forms in which exploitation occurs in the memes production and distribution process. The study found that labour was conceived from the traditional Marx perspective by the administrators of both pages, which doesn't recognise creative, cultural, affective, and free labour. Therefore, paving the way for exploitation of the meme creators' labour which remains unchallenged due to the dynamic power imbalance between the meme creators and administrators. The study calls for a nuanced perspective in labour discourse within the South African student memes context.