Old Ramaphosa Covid-19 Clip Misused to Inflame Anti-Migrant Tensions in South Africa

Misinformation Campaign Targets South African Leadership

A resurfaced video clip of President Cyril Ramaphosa has been pulled from its original context and weaponized by online agitators to incite further tensions amid the current wave of anti-migrant unrest in South Africa. The clip, which originally dates back to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, features the President addressing travel restrictions, but it is currently being presented on social media as an official statement regarding the country’s volatile immigration crisis.

The Truth Behind the Video

In the doctored narrative currently gaining traction across platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, the President is falsely depicted as justifying the forced removal or exclusion of foreign nationals. In reality, the footage was recorded during a national broadcast in 2020 where Ramaphosa was explaining the strict lockdown protocols and border closures required to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The speech contained no reference to the current xenophobic incidents that have seen hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals flee their homes and businesses.

Digital forensic analysts and fact-checkers have confirmed the following:

• The original video was broadcast by the SABC in 2020.
• The audio and visual context has been stripped of its pandemic-era framing to mislead viewers.
• There is no official record of the President making the specific claims attributed to him in the viral posts.

The Human Cost of Viral Lies

The spread of this misinformation comes at a critical time for the nation. With widespread reports of violence and the displacement of vulnerable populations, the circulation of inflammatory, fake content is actively worsening the security situation. Authorities have warned that such content is not just misleading but dangerous, as it provides a false sense of legitimacy to mob violence and vigilante actions.

Government Response

The Presidency has issued a formal statement urging citizens to exercise extreme caution when consuming and sharing content on social media. Officials emphasized that the President has consistently called for social cohesion and adherence to the rule of law. They have called on social media platforms to take immediate action to flag or remove the content, noting that it violates community standards regarding the incitement of violence.

Combating the Info-demic

As South Africa grapples with the complexities of immigration and socio-economic challenges, the role of verified information has never been more vital. Social media managers and experts suggest that the rapid viral spread of this video highlights a growing trend of ‘context hacking’—where old footage is recycled to serve modern political agendas. As the country seeks a peaceful resolution to the current unrest, the ability to distinguish between historical fact and current propaganda remains a key factor in preventing further escalation.