Former president Thabo Mbeki. (Photo: Gallo Images / Beeld / Alet Pretorius) The Thabo Mbeki Foundation has rubbished reports claiming the former president died after a short illness.
Mbeki’s name was trending in the country on Wednesday afternoon after a report on a site called The Nigerian Voice. Other seemingly satirical sites, also apparently originating in Nigeria, carried the fake news story.
An unknown person edited the former president's Wikipedia page and included the information that he had died on 2 January 2024.
“The Thabo Mbeki Foundation is aware of recent, unfounded reports circulating on social media regarding the health of the Patron of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation,” said Anga Jamela, the foundation’s spokesperson.
“We categorically deny these reports and wish to assure the public that President Mbeki is in good health. We urge caution and responsible engagement with online information, particularly during a time when misinformation can spread rapidly.”
Jamela said the foundation appreciated the concerns and asked people to rely on official channels for accurate information about Mbeki’s wellbeing and activities.
The fake news also reached Mbeki’s home town in the Eastern Cape but was quickly dismissed.
Statement Regarding President Thabo Mbeki's Health pic.twitter.com/vfIJ9BpRjY
— Thabo Mbeki Foundation (@TMFoundation_) January 3, 2024
This is not the first time Mbeki has been targeted in a fake news report.
In June 2021, during the pandemic, a WhatsApp message from someone purporting to be a News24 journalist falsely claimed that Mbeki had died of Covid.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi was also a victim of fake news recently when X users claimed he had been admitted to hospital after being poisoned.
The ministry posted a video of Motsoaledi with an unknown person wishing South Africans well for the new year.
Minister Motsoaledi wishes South Africans a happy new year! @GCISMedia pic.twitter.com/zDrVOS70Lu
— HomeAffairsSA 🇿🇦 (@HomeAffairsSA) January 1, 2024
Social media app X has been accused of becoming increasingly susceptible to fake news as some users appear to be desperate for engagements. The app pays subscribed users who sign up for monetisation. Users apply to earn money from ads displayed in replies to their posts.
X has said that in the face of misleading information, it aimed to create a better-informed world so people could engage in healthy public conversation.
The app has added an option called Community Notes, which plans to empower people to collaboratively add context to potentially misleading posts. DM