South Africa unprepared for deepfake chaos

Imagine waking up to a video of President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing a national emergency that never happened. Or a CEO admitting to fraud. In today’s digital world, deepfakes make such scenarios increasingly possible, with terrifying implications for South Africa’s democracy and economy – and for personal reputations.

Deepfakes use artificial intelligence to manipulate videos, images and audio to create hyper-realistic but entirely false content. While it started as a novelty, it has quickly become a major cybersecurity risk.

In South Africa, where misinformation already spreads rapidly on social media, deepfakes could amplify political unrest, financial fraud and reputational damage. The ease with which fake videos can be created makes it difficult for the public to distinguish between real and false information, further eroding trust in institutions and media.

With local government elections approaching, deepfakes could be weaponised to spread false narratives, influence voter sentiment or discredit political figures. Given South Africa’s history of political tensions, the potential for chaos is high if fake videos of leaders making inflammatory remarks or policy announcements go viral. Cybercriminals are using deepfakes to impersonate executives, authorising fraudulent transactions or misleading investors.

A well-executed fake video of a bank CEO announcing financial distress could trigger panic and economic instability. Imagine a fake video showing a business leader or celebrity making offensive statements. By the time the truth is revealed, the damage is already done. Businesses must prepare for this new wave of digital threats to their reputation.

Real threat

Deepfakes are here to stay, but South Africa can take steps to mitigate against their impact. Companies and media houses must use AI-powered verification tools to analyse videos and detect manipulations before they spread. The public must be educated on how to identify deepfakes. Schools, businesses and government agencies should run awareness campaigns to help people critically assess digital content.

Read: UK to make sexually explicit deepfakes a crime

South Africa’s cyber laws must be updated to address deepfake crimes specifically, ensuring legal consequences for those who create or distribute harmful content. Social media platforms must take responsibility for detecting and removing deepfakes, working with government agencies to curb disinformation. Deepfakes are not just a technological novelty – they are a real and growing threat to South Africa’s digital security.

Business leaders, policymakers and the public must act to strengthen defences against this emerging menace. The time to prepare is before – not after – the first major deepfake crisis shakes the country. The question is no longer whether deepfakes will affect South Africa, but how well we are prepared to deal with them.

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• The author, Boland Lithebe, is security leader for Accenture in Africa

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