Here is All the Fake News About South Africa's Current Xenophobic Attacks

Since last week, South Africa has been embroiled in a fresh spate of xenophobic attacks towards African foreign nationals living in the central parts of Johannesburg. However, the volatile situation has unfortunately given fake news the opportunity to unnecessarily stoke the flames even more. There are stories, videos and images circulating on social media platforms which are either old or entirely unrelated to the current xenophobic attacks. Here is as much of the viral fake news we've managed to round up along with a comprehensive picture of what's really going on.

Read: Sho Madjozi Accuses Organizers of 'Africans Unite' of Using Xenophobia as a 'Marketing Ploy'

Recently, Burna Boy, AKA, YCee and several other artists got into a heated argument on social media over the current xenophobic attacks against Nigerian foreign nationals especially. Tiwa Savage went on to cancel her scheduled show at the Delicious Festival happening this month in South Africa after tweeting that, "I refuse to watch the barbaric butchering of my people in SA."

READ: Burna Boy to Donate Proceeds from Upcoming Show In South Africa to Victims of Xenophobic Violence

There have been no confirmed or verified reports by any media publications in South Africa that any Nigerian national has been killed. Of course, it also goes without saying that there is the possibility of unreported attacks and deaths by mainstream media especially in smaller areas outside of Johannesburg. Several media outlets, including The South African, reported that as of last week Tuesday, five people had been killed in the xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg. One of the deceased, a woman, was confirmed to be a Zimbabwean national while three others were South African citizens. The death toll then rose to seven after two burnt bodies were found in the Northern township of Alexandra, after members of the community looted several shops and subsequently set them alight in their hunt for foreign nationals. Neither the identities nor the nationalities of the deceased have been confirmed.

At least 189 people have been arrested thus far in connection to the xenophobic violence and looting of stores in various parts of Johannesburg. Yesterday, the former leader of opposition party Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Mangosuthu Buthelezi attempted to address an angry crowd of residents from hostels in the Eastern part of Johannesburg and condemn the current xenophobic attacks. However, before Buthelezi could even continue with his speech, the crowd chanted "foreigners must go back to where they came from" and got up and left.

READ: Understanding South Africa's Violent Inferiority Complex

A fresh set of xenophobic attacks erupted yesterday morning in Malvern and saw two people being killed. Again, the nationalities of both the deceased have not been confirmed.

In the wake of these xenophobic attacks, the South African embassy in Nigeria, along with telecommunications giant, MTN, and retailers including PEP and Shoprite, have all temporarily closed operations after Nigerian citizens attacked them in response to the xenophobic violence in South Africa. Admittedly, South African law enforcement has been struggling to maintain order and Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, has threatened to deploy the army should the situation not be resolved soon. While President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the violence, although he has also been accused of inciting it in the first place along with the Democratic Alliance's (DA) Herman Mashaba, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is set to make a state visit to South Africa in an attempt to address Nigeria's growing concerns over the violence.

EWN compiled several videos which have been identified as fake news. Some of the videos are old, unrelated to the current xenophobic attacks or did not take place in South Africa altogether. Please be advised that the content below may upset sensitive viewers.

Videos of xenophobic attacks in South Africa not all trueyoutu.be