Fake Clip of Foreign National Taunting Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and Phakel’umthakathi Sparks Outrage
- About 30 informal shops and salons in Ladysmith reopened after their owners won a High Court challenge against the Alfred Duma Local Municipality
- A viral fake clip showing a shop owner taunting anti-immigration activists Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and Phakel'umthakathi then circulated on social media
- South Africans are raising concerns after the clip emerged, with many questioning the role of government in the ongoing spaza shop controversy
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
KWAZULU-NATAL — South Africans are outraged by a clip appearing to show a foreign national taunting Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and Nkosikhona "Phakel'umthakathi" Ndabandaba.
There’s only one problem – a portion of the clip itself is fake. The segment that has since gone viral is a separate, edited clip in which a shop owner appears to taunt the anti-immigration activists, saying: "Jacinta and Phakela, you lose."
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He also celebrated the reopening of stores in Ladysmith. Around 30 informal shops and hair salons in Ladysmith have resumed trading after their owners successfully challenged the Alfred Duma Local Municipality in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
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Municipality shut down several businesses
The municipality had moved against the businesses following a compliance campaign in June 2026. Officials cited failures related to business licences, trading permits, health-and-safety standards, and unauthorised structures.
Owners had their premises closed and their keys collected by the mayor, who instructed them not to re-enter until they had met all compliance requirements.
The owners disputed the campaign, arguing they were being unfairly targeted. After approaching the Pietermaritzburg High Court, the court ordered the municipality to return the keys and allow the businesses to reopen. The closures had formed part of a broader 2026 KwaZulu-Natal push on informal shop documentation, labour conditions, and trading regulations.
In neighbouring Estcourt, the mayor also warned foreign nationals that their time was up and that they needed to leave.
How did South Africans react?
Despite questions about the clip's authenticity, the reaction from South Africans online was sharp.
@Mthobysy wrote:
"They are provoking South Africans and will cry xenophobia when South Africans react."
@ZinhleSokh92169 said:
"Even the government is letting its citizens down. How is this allowed? When citizens take to the streets, then they are labelled xenophobic."
@Buyile311214 added:
"Man, our government is letting us down big time."
@Nompu90570329 suggested:
"South Africans must stop buying in these shops. It's that simple."
@stan_nare warned:
"It will end in tears."
March and March protest Ladysmith youngster's death
Briefly News reported that March and March held a demonstration in Ladysmith to call for justice.
Ngobese-Zuma announced that the protest would be held following the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old.
Banele Manyoni was shot dead during a confrontation between foreign nationals and community members.
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Source: Briefly News
