Don't trust manipulated image showing stooped South African defence minister Angie Motshekga using walking sticks
An image circulating widely on South African social media in February 2026 appears to show the country's defence minister, Angie Motshekga, walking with the assistance of two walking sticks.
One post captioned the image: "That's why there is no Security in South Africa. What kind [of] minister of Defense is this one. An old granny."
"Indeed South Africa is a joke," another post read.
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The image shows Motshekga flanked by uniformed officers. She appears to be hunched over, holding a walking stick in each hand, with her head bowed. The image appeared across various posts on Facebook and on X. (Note: See more examples of this image at the end of this report.)
But it's not authentic. Here's why.
'Pure sexism and misogyny' - defence department spokesperson
In a media statement on 9 February, the head of communications for the Department of Defence, Siphiwe Dlamini, responded that the posts, which "attempt to present the Minister as a very old woman incapable of walking without a walking stick", were "false, malicious, and intended to undermine the dignity of the office".
The statement went on to call the posts "pure sexism and misogyny", saying: "It is very easy to insult, denigrate and disrespect women, a factor that is fuelling [gender-based violence, whereas] men in the same age category are never ridiculed and despised."
The department emphasised that the minister was in good health and continued to fulfil her duties.
Original image online for months
As some social media users have pointed out, the image appears to be a manipulated version of a photo in which the minister is not hunched over and is walking without assistance.
A reverse image search showed that the original photo has been online since at least July 2025, when it was included in an article on Defence Web, a website that publishes reporting on security and defence.
There are also several signs within the viral image that it has been tampered with.
First, the minister appears to be holding a walking stick in each hand, which is unusual. But while using two walking sticks may be unconventional, this doesn't in itself mean the image is fake.
A clearer indication is that in the suspicious image, it looks as though a small square of the minister's jacket has been pasted over the background in error. One part of the walking stick in her right hand also appears to melt into the background, an indication of shoddy Photoshopping.
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The 70-year-old Motshekga also appears in videos from late 2025 and early 2026, standing and walking without assistance. The viral image is not authentic.
Always verify images you see online, especially when they are sensational or provoke emotion. Read our guide to simple verification tools you can use straight from your web browser.
This manipulated image was also posted here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
