'It's fake news': Archbishop Thabo Makgoba denounces article linking him to financial scam

The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Dr Thabo Makgoba, has rubbished as “fake news” an article doing the rounds, linking him to a financial scam purporting to be intended to benefit the poor. 

In a brief statement, Makgoba’s spokesperson Wendy Kelderman on Sunday said there is no truth in the allegations made in the news article, which has also been shared on social media. 

“The Archbishop of Cape Town wishes to categorically denounce an article making the rounds on social media linking him to a financial scam allegedly to benefit the poor,” said Kelderman. 

“The archbishop wishes to assure the public that the contents are wholly false and therefore fake news. 

“The public must be informed that there is no financial scheme that will benefit the poor and that this appears to be a financial scam that must be avoided. The public is discouraged from registering for this so called stock.market scam,” she said. 

The news article was posted on a website bearing the logo of the South African Broadcasting Corporation's news division. 

Kelderman said the SABC has also been alerted of the use of its logo to legitimise the story and has undertaken to attend to the matter. 

Meanwhile, on its website, the SABC has distanced itself from the news article. The public broadcaster said it is investigating the unauthorised use of its logo and branding. 

Last week, IOL reported that as Artificial Intelligence technology advances, deepfakes - hyper-realistic digital media that can convincingly impersonate individuals - are becoming a significant concern, particularly in the investment sector. 

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) put out a warning to the public about a new investment scam that features deepfake videos of businessman Dr Patrice Motsepe and other well-known entrepreneurs.

IOL