Has former US president Donald Trump endorsed uMkhonto weSizwe, South Africa’s newest political party? A low-res video circulating on social media since early March 2024 suggests that he has.

In the clip, Trump appears to say:

“Greetings, all South Africans. My name is president Donald Trump. I urge all South Africans to vote for uMkhonto weSizwe May 29. The African National Congress of Cyril Ramaphosa has failed all South Africans. With this new backed party by president Jacob Zuma, all South Africans will matter. Vote M …”

The video then abruptly cuts out.

South Africans are set to vote on May 29 in what are slated to be the country’s most pivotal National and Provincial elections in 30 years. Opinion polls suggest that the ruling ANC could lose the parliamentary majority it has held since 1994.

The new uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) takes its name – ‘spear of the nation’ in isiZulu – from the ANC’s military wing during the struggle against apartheid. The MKP’s profile was boosted when former ANC president Jacob Zuma endorsed it and began campaigning on its behalf in December 2023.

On March 26, the ANC lost a court bid to have the electoral commission’s registration of MKP declared invalid. The two parties are currently in another legal battle over who owns the uMkhonto weSizwe name and logo.

One opinion poll suggests that in KZN, Zuma’s home province, the ANC could lose half its votes to the MKP in the upcoming elections.

But does the circulating video show Trump urging South Africans to vote for the MKP? We checked.

Another fake made with Parrot AI

A closer look at the video shows that the audio doesn’t match the movement of Trump’s lips.

Africa Check took screenshots of the video and ran them through a reverse image search. This revealed that the viral clip was taken from a 2017 interview with Trump by the US broadcaster NBC News. The MKP was only registered in September 2023.

The angle of Trump’s face, as well as his tie and the flag pin on his jacket, are the same. The background shows the same presidential flag of the US.

In the 13-minute NBC video, Trump says nothing about uMkhonto weSizwe. The viral video is fake.

It was probably created by Parrot AI, which sells itself as a ‘celebrity voice generator’.

Africa Check recently debunked another fake video, using the same NBC clip, in which Trump appears to berate Nigerians for criticising president Bola Tinubu. That video includes the Parrot AI logo.

This report is produced as part of the work of a South African election coalition. In the run-up to the 2024 national elections, the coalition aims to ensure that the claims made by those in charge of state resources and delivering essential services are factually accurate. As voters head to the polls, it is increasingly important that they are able to make informed decisions.