South Africa: Old Video Falsely Linked to Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa Was Filmed Months Earlier in Another…

Old video falsely linked to xenophobic attacks in South Africa was filmed months earlier in another province

IN SHORT: A graphic video doing the rounds on social media, supposedly depicting a xenophobic attack in Johannesburg in June 2026, was actually filmed months earlier in another province. It is unrelated to recent attacks on African migrants in the country in May and June.

Warning: This fact-check includes links to videos of graphic violence.

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A video that has been widely shared on Facebook, X and WhatsApp, where it was forwarded to Africa Check, shows a group of people on a busy street beating two men with improvised weapons, including an umbrella and a small table.

"This happened in South Africa @ Votrrekka Road, Benoni (6th June 2026)" begins one caption, which goes on to describe the incident as xenophobic, and says, "No country has a right to do this jungle justice even to illegal immigrants." Another post on X read: "Two foreign nationals killed as xenophobic violence in South Africa is in full force."

Benoni is a suburb of Johannesburg, and does have a Voortrekker Street. (A reference to the historical Voortrekkers, or white settlers of predominantly Dutch origin, "Voortrekker" is a common street name throughout South Africa.)

There has also been an uptick in incidents of xenophobic violence in the country in late May and early June of 2026. However, this video does not depict one of those attacks, and it wasn't filmed in Johannesburg.

Video filmed in KuGompo City months earlier, in very different context

There is no "Votrrekka Road" in Benoni, and the video does not match locations like "Voortrekker Street", but it is an exact match for an area in KuGompo City in the Eastern Cape province. (Formerly East London, KuGompo City was renamed in February 2026.)

Several social media users pointed out that the video was shared on X as early as 7 February, when an account claimed that it had been filmed in East London. The same account claimed that two "boys" had been killed after demanding a "protection fee" from local hawkers.

Distinctive buildings visible in the background of the video, including the minaret of a mosque, match Google Street View images taken at the intersection of College and Buffalo streets in KuGompo City.

South African Police Service spokesperson brigadier Nobuntu Gantana told Africa Check in a statement: "The SAPS confirms that a case of murder and assault is under investigation following an incident that occurred in February 2026 in KuGompo. The incident tragically resulted in the death of a young man, while others sustained injuries."

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Gantana also confirmed that the incident was unrelated to cases of xenophobic violence. The victims were not immigrants, and had made statements which confirmed the account shared on X in February.

The victims said that they were recent amakrwala, young Xhosa men who have undergone the ulwaluko right of passage ceremony. According to Gantana, they were "under the influence of alcohol at the time and acknowledged that they were seeking confrontation with street vendors and members of the public".

Gantana said: "To date, no arrests have been made. The investigation remains active and ongoing. SAPS appeals to anyone with information that could assist in identifying the perpetrator(s) to come forward and contact their nearest police station."