Does a video show conditions in Durban, South Africa in March 2025? No, that's not true: The video in the post was recorded in the aftermath of protests and unrest in July 2021. The same video was posted on X on July 15, 2021 carrying the same caption with which it was posted on X in March 2025.
The claim appeared in a post and video (archived here) where it was published on X on March 5, 2025. It opened:
This is Durban, South Africa. This is what decolonization looks like.
A glimpse into the future of the West, particularly Europe if nothing changes.
This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:
(Source: X.com website screenshot taken on Fri Mar 7 18:14:54 2025 UTC)
The video does not show Durban "right now," as the exact video was posted on the X account @TwitTok8 on X on July 15, 2021 (archived here). The video is exactly the same as the one posted on March 5, 2025, as this screenshot shows:
(Source: X.com website screenshot taken on Fri Mar 7 18:26:11 2025 UTC)
Riots broke out in Durban in July, 2021, after the jailing of ex-President Jacob Zuma. Two photos (archived here and here) dated July 14, 2021, and available to purchase on Getty Images, show the same stretch of stores shown in the video, also showng the street littered with debris. The image below matches the store seen beginning at :04 in the video posted to X.com:
(Source: Getty images website screenshot taken on Fri Mar 7 18:37:03 2025 UTC)
The photo caption by Getty identifies it as Durban on July 14, 2021, after looting:
People walk pass in Dr. Pixley Ka Seme street strewn with dirt and filth caused after five days of looting in Durban on July 14, 2021 as several shops, businesses and infrastructure are damaged in the city, following five nights of continued violence and looting sparked by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma. - So far, 72 people have died and more than 1,200 people arrested, since former president Jacob Zuma began a 15-month jail term for contempt, sparking protests that swiftly turned violent. The violence, targeting malls and other economic hotspots has seen shops and infrastructure destroyed. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP) (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP via Getty Images)
