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[amaBhungane @amaBhungane]

The March and March Movement this week disseminated fake news about supposed anti-South African protests in the Johannesburg suburb of Mayfair, inflaming anti-migrant sentiments.

The movement’s leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma disseminated and amplified a video ostensibly showing foreigners “chasing away South Africans”.

She doubled down with March and March issuing a press release containing the claim of “foreign nationals taking to the streets baying for blood” in Mayfair – asserting that the incident occurred last week.

The video however in reality dates from 2020 and has nothing to do with the current upsurge in anti-migrant mobilisation.

The clue is that the video shows a vehicle belonging to a security company called ASARS being overturned by an angry mob.

The director of ASARS, Ra’ees Shamar, however confirmed to us that the incident took place six years ago.

The context was a police shooting during a SAPS visibility exercise involving ASARS which led to a violent protest.

According to Shamar the rumour spread that the shooter was one of ASARS’ guards which led to a violent protest targeting the company, hence the overturning of the ASARS vehicle.

It had “nothing to do with xenophobia” and is now being used by people with agendas, said Shamar.

Social media mobilisation around specific communities or areas in the run-up to a widely anticipated mass protest on 30 June recalls the 2021 unrest in KZN when, according to the report of the Expert Panel convened by the president in the aftermath, fake news and videos circulating on social media contributed to widespread violence.

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[Veve @LudidiVelani]

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[Qaanitah Hunter @QaanitahHunter]

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We only have one laptop to train everyone. If you keen to help us with a projector and laptops let us know. [email protected]

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