Deepfakes of South African public figures used for fraud and misinformation
Multiple South African public figures, including broadcast anchor Leanne Manas, businessman Elon Musk, and scientist Professor Salim Abdool Karim, reportedly became victims of deepfake videos used for fraud and misinformation. The deepfakes were deployed on social media platforms to promote financial scams, counterfeit products, and false health claims, though South African law provides remedies for victims.
What happened
South African broadcast anchor Leanne Manas had her image used in fake endorsements of weight loss products and online trading platforms on Facebook and TikTok in 2024.
A deepfake video of South African-born businessman Elon Musk induced South Africans to invest in a financial scam promising high returns.
In 2025, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, appeared in a deepfake video showing him making anti-vaccination statements while endorsing counterfeit heart medicine.
Reported impact
Deepfakes undermine constitutional rights, reduce trust in media and distort fairness in elections, according to legal analysis of South African cases.
The deepfake-driven financial scam caused South Africans to make investments based on fabricated video evidence.
Index analysis
The incidents involve multiple deepfake formats including video deepfakes used to create fake endorsements and audio-visual content depicting public figures making false statements.
South African law provides civil and criminal remedies for deepfake victims, but enforcement remains the primary challenge in practice rather than a lack of prohibitive laws.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.