‘From icrush kaMama wakho to ekaSisi wakho’ — here’s what your politician faves look like with FaceApp

15 November 2021 - 11:45
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Transport minister Fikile Mbalula and retired finance minister Tito Mboweni left social media doing a double-take about their 'younger' selves.
Transport minister Fikile Mbalula and retired finance minister Tito Mboweni left social media doing a double-take about their 'younger' selves.
Image: Fikile Mbalula and Tito Mboweni/Twitter

Tweeps have been asking for “younger leaders” in government, and (kind of) got their wish on social media at the weekend.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula and retired finance minister Tito Mboweni were among the politician faves who left social media doing a double-take over their “younger” versions courtesy of FaceApp.

The app took over on social media at the weekend and saw many hopping on it to give politicians a “glow up”.

The app allows users to change their faces, making themselves appear older or younger.

Users also can edit their makeup, change their hair colour and can even give themselves facial features like a beard and eyebrows.

Mbalula joked that the app takes you from a mom’s crush to a sister’s obsession.

“From icrush kaMama wakho to ekaSisi wakho. What is this witchcraft I see?” he said.

Mboweni felt “cute” after seeing his edit.

Politicians who had their faces edited included One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane, EFF leader Julius Malema, former president Jacob Zuma and his successor President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The app, owned by Russian company Wireless Lab, came under scrutiny in 2019 after concerns were raised about its user agreement. 

The agreement allows the company to use the images users upload for whatever purpose it sees fit. 

FaceApp CEO Yaroslav Goncharov told The Washington Post that deleting the app won’t get rid of any photos that are on the company’s servers. 

As usual, social media users also shared pictures of their edited selves, which saw the app topping Twitters trending list.

Here is a snapshot of some of their edits:


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