The original photo is of a local taxi driver pelting a foreigner with stones during a street brawl in Johannesburg in 2015.
This photo, shared on Facebook and supposedly showing an individual being attacked with stones in Durban, South Africa is ALTERED.
The image shows a man using stones, assaulting a person lying on the tarmac, while onlookers watched at a distance.
“South Africa, why? Is this how some of us are inhuman? This photo captures the tragic attack on Malawian street vendor Brian Mwanza in Durban, South Africa. Brian, who sold fruit to support his family in Malawi, was reportedly beaten with stones by a mob and later succumbed to injuries. His death has renewed calls to end violence and xenophobia against African migrants,” reads the post.
The photo circulated on social media amidst the ongoing xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Local South Africans under the directives from March and March, a local anti- immigration organisation, have been attacking foreigners and chasing them off the country.
But is the photo authentic?
A Google image reverse search shows that the image was shot in 2015, not in 2026. It was published by a number of media outlets across Africa.
The original photo was captured by AFP in 2015 during xenophobic attacks. It shows a local taxi driver pelting a foreigner with stones during a street brawl in Johannesburg.
The Besana Mail conducted a side-by-side analysis of the two photos. The original shows the attacker in a black T-shirt and blue jeans, while the version circulating on social media shows him in a yellow T-shirt and white trousers. The identical onlookers suggest the image was edited to create the impression that it is recent.
A side by side comparison of the original vs the altered photo.
The original image was also shared by other media outlets and social media users in 2015 here, here and here.
Further analysis using FotoForensics revealed signs of editing, particularly around the attacker.
The Besana Mail – Zim Truth Radar examined a photo shared on Facebook supposedly showing an individual being attacked with stones in Durban, South Africa and found it to be ALTERED.
This fact-check was produced by The Besana Mail as part of the African Fact-Checking Alliance’s (AFCA)incubation programme. It was produced with peer-mentorship from Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, PesaCheck, with financial support from Norway. AFCA mentorship respects the journalistic independence of the researchers, offering access to advanced techniques and tools. Editorial decision-making remains with The Besana Mail. Want to learn more? Visit: https://factcheck.africa/
