Fake news minefield: Deepfake tries and fails to link Zelensky to Northam Platinum stake

Radio France Internationale

Center

Factuality

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In South Africa, while the Ukrainian president is soon to visit the country, false information is shaking social networks. A video seen several million times, wrongly, advances that Volodymyr Zelensky would have spent more than a billion euros to buy shares in a local mining company. This false information, broadcast in part of the African press, is based on a false report attributed to the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

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Circulating content: "Zelensky acquired 51% of the shares of Northam Platinum LDT, South Africa's largest platinum mining company, for $1.6 billion." This claim is taken from a video purportedly broadcast by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), South Africa's state-owned broadcaster. Verification: This is a montage. There is no trace of this video on the SABC News website or its social media channels. Furthermore, the network has d…

Newtral

Factuality

Ownership

They circulate on social networks publications that claim that Ukrainian president Volodimir Zelenski “has acquired a majority share of 51% in Northam Platinum Ltd., South Africa’s largest platinum mining company.” Viral messages say that “the agreement is valued at $1.6 billion��� and rely on an alleged report from a South African television that would have published the news. It is false. Both Northam Platinum and the South African informative w…