“God Overused This Facial Template”: Deputy Minister Spotted As Sol Phenduka’s Twin at SONA 2025

• One gent sparked social media buzz after spotting Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Isaac Seitlholo at SONA 2025, pointing out his resemblance to media personality Sol Phenduka
• Both gentlemen sport similar hairstyles and glasses, leading to widespread amusement on social media as South Africans did a double-take
• The online community flooded the comments section with jokes and memes about the striking similarity between the two public figures

Social media users were left doing a double take after a photo from the State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2025 showed Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Isaac Seitlholo bearing an uncanny resemblance to media personality Sol Phenduka. Content creator @KingBrainy17 shared the observation on X (formerly Twitter), posting a picture of the Deputy Minister seated during the president's address with the caption:

"Sol Phenduka is everywhere😭😭😭"

View the X post below.

Meet the lookalikes

Sol Phenduka, born Solomzi Thandubuntu Phenduka on February 18, 1987, has become a household name in South African entertainment. The Vosloorus-born media personality has made his mark as a radio host, music DJ, and popular podcaster, gaining further recognition after placing fifth on Big Brother Mzansi season 1.

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Meanwhile, his doppelganger, Mr Isaac Seitlholo, was appointed Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation in July 2024. Before his appointment, Seitlholo served as a Member of Parliament since 2019, bringing with him a rich background in community engagement and local government issues.

The resemblance between the two public figures is remarkable, from their well-maintained hairstyles to their choice of glasses frames. While one entertains the masses through radio and podcasting, the other serves the nation in government, yet their paths crossed unexpectedly through this viral moment at SONA 2025. The Deputy Minister was captured attentively listening to President Ramaphosa's address when the photo spara the social media frenzy.

Mzansi reacts to the lookalike

The online community couldn't help but share their amusement at the resemblance:

@MosesePule joked:

"God must have overused this facial template, or it was a facial machine production error 😂"

@sithole_tsebo found humour in the situation:

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"Lmao🤣🤣🤣 sello, apparently u look like Sol."

@blxssxd06 expressed disbelief:

"This cant be Sol 😂 😂 👐🏼"

@Bell19924453 quipped:

"Sol was cloned a while back."

@_iamnkanyiso pointed out:

"😂😂😂😂 That's your Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation 😂😂😂"

@LillyMM asked in confusion:

"Which one is this one😄"

Other SONA 2025 stories

• A UNISA political analyst sparked intense debate with unexpected remarks about the government's role in job creation, challenging President Ramaphosa's employment promises and leaving South Africans questioning everything they thought they knew about state responsibility.
• Media personality Lebo Keswa brought receipts when addressing the president's promises, sharing a throwback photo that revealed an untold story about Ramaphosa's previous commitments.
• Briefly News also reported on Deputy Minister Nonceba Mhlauli who didn't just turn heads with her SONA outfit - her surprising revelation about the ensemble left Mzansi speechless.

Source: Briefly News