How a Fake Afrikaner Persona Duped South African Media and Government Officials with Disinformation
The X account @Mikedotcoza, long presenting itself as Michael de Villiers, a white South African Afrikaner, has been conclusively unmasked as Michael Ntshangase, a black South African, likely of Zulu descent.
Concrete evidence from X posts, amplified by South African media coverage and reposts by government officials, reveals a deliberate disinformation campaign that has misled audiences and fueled divisive narratives.
The definitive evidence comes from an X search for “Michael Ntshangase” covering posts from 2023, which returns content authored by @Mikedotcoza, directly linking the account to Ntshangase.
This contradicts the account’s denial of being Ntshangase and aligns with a rare indirect admission where Ntshangase confirmed the identity when challenged.
Further confirmation lies in a post using isiZulu phrases like “If kukhkala no VT, then hay, kubi ngempela,” a language predominantly spoken by black South Africans, not white Afrikaners, solidifying Ntshangase’s identity.
The @Mikedotcoza account gained significant visibility in South African media, with outlets like YFM , The South African, and IOL embedding its posts in discussions on race, land reform, and figures like Roland Schoeman and Phil Craig.
Disturbingly, some posts were even reposted by Clayson Monyela, Deputy Director-General for Public Diplomacy at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), lending undue credibility to a fabricated persona.
Ntshangase’s commentary on diversity and Cape independence was cited without scrutiny, amplifying its influence.
A key disinformation tactic was a post claiming to cancel an AfriForum membership, a prominent Afrikaner advocacy group, intended to sow distrust within the white community.
Ntshangase also dismissed genocide claims and labeled farm attacks as “imaginary”, using a “white face” persona to distort discussions around cultural genocide.
Other posts falsely positioned Ntshangase as a voice for white South Africans and misrepresented Afrikaner perspectives.
The account’s profile picture, claimed as genuine, has since been widely recognized as AI-generated, with Sightengine indicating a 99% certainty that it’s likely AI-generated , undermines its white identity.
Ntshangase further claimed to be a “fellow Boer” and insisted he is Michael de Villiers, despite mounting evidence to the contrary.
Attempts to dismiss accusations by calling itself a parody account fail to justify its pattern of misinformation, including a racist remark.
With 29 individuals named Michael Ntshangase on Facebook alone, it’s challenging to pinpoint exactly which Michael Ntshangase is responsible for this account. Nevertheless, the X search evidence, isiZulu usage, and the admission post conclusively confirm @Mikedotcoza is Ntshangase, not de Villiers.
This case exposes the risks of unverified online personas, especially when amplified by media and officials, and underscores the urgent need for scrutiny of social media influence in shaping public discourse.
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This article is based on X posts & a search query, media reports, and user-provided data. The identity is strongly supported but not legally verified.
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