Fake: Zelenskyy Buys Controlling Interest in Northam Platinum Ltd – South Africa’s Largest Platinum Mining Company
This claim is false and has been officially denied by company representatives.
Category South Africa
Read MoreFake: Zelenskyy Buys Controlling Interest in Northam Platinum Ltd – South Africa’s Largest Platinum Mining Company
Russian embassy shares disinformation on alleged atrocities by foreign mercenaries in Ukraine
The Russian Embassy in South Africa shared an article on X on April 9 about alleged atrocities committed by foreign mercenaries fighting for Ukraine. But this content originated from a fake news site, and the images used can be traced to other contexts.
Was Russia ready to sign a peace treaty with Ukraine in 2022?
Putin's claims that a treaty was ready and acceptable for Ukraine in the spring of 2022 but was rejected by Ukraine are highly unlikely. The documents displayed at the June 17 meeting are likely to have been working drafts. The positions of the parties were too far apart, and Russia was not likely to abide by a ceasefire. A treaty would have to be signed by the presidents, and subject to a referendum in Ukraine.
Old photos resurface with false claim that they show British ships ‘bombed in Ukraine’
Two photos have been shared in social media posts alongside false claims that they show the aftermath of British cargo ships bombed by the Russian air force in a port in Odesa in southern Ukraine on July 16, 2023. However, the photos were in fact taken in Libya and Indonesia respectively and predate Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Fact check: Russia’s influence on Africa
Russia seeks to gain influence in Africa in several ways, from disinformation campaigns to sending Wagner Group mercenaries. Why is Africa so important to Vladimir Putin?
FACT CHECK: Did Vladimir Putin Collapse After Suffering A Heart Attack? | Check Your Fact
Verdict: False
The screenshot appears to be digitally fabricated, as the headline neither appears on the outletâs website nor its social media accounts. A reverse image search reveals the photos were created using artificial intelligence (AI).
No, Russian president Vladimir Putin did not wish former South African president Jacob Zuma happy birthday – Africa Check
Much has been made of the South African government's close ties to Russia following news that the country will host Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2023. But images suggesting Putin congratulated former president Jacob Zuma on his birthday - on live TV - are fabricated.
Did Vladimir Putin really defy his arrest order to travel to South Africa? In short, nope
Did Vladimir Putin recently go to South Africa, defying the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court? That's the claim made by at least two videos that have been shared thousands of times on TikTok and Facebook since late March. This footage, however, is old and doesn't in any way prove that Putin has recently travelled to South Africa.
Posts use old video to falsely claim Russian president visited South Africa in March 2023
After the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant last month for Russian President Vladimir Putin, a video re-emerged on social media claiming to show him arriving in South Africa for an official visit. But this is false: the video was filmed in July 2018 ahead of the 10th summit of the BRICS group, which South Africa hosted. AFP Fact Check previously debunked a similar claim about the video a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Yes, Russian court gave US teen only months in prison for marijuana smuggling – but basketball star Griner got nine years for lesser crime – Africa Check
A Russian court sentenced Brittney Griner, a basketball star from the US, to nine years in prison for bringing a small amount of marijuana into the country. By contrast, US teenager Audrey Lorber was given a slap on the wrist for a slightly more serious case of the same crime.