FAKE NEWS | Boko Haram EC threat in voice note is a hoax

Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga has voiced her concerns about fake news, messages, voice notes and pictures circulated via different social media platforms with scary content, threatening the community about an eminent danger emanating from foreign aggressors.

Ntshinga was responding to a voicenote that has been sent around on social media. It is from a man with a foreign accent, who was saying that Nigerian extremist group, the Boko Haram, was in the Eastern Cape.

In the voice note the man could be heared saying that they will start attacking small towns between East London and Mthatha. He later says they will start with schools in Butterworth.

"These messages published on social media and online create unnecessary panic, anxiety, discomfort and uncertainty about public safety and national security. This is happening despite the fact that the source of the messages has not been verified,” said Ntshinga.

She said  in the past few days the police members had responded to similar calls ignited by  social media content  only to find it was its a false alarm. “We want to appeal to the public not to give much credit to these messages or share them further.”

She said when there was a real is eminent threat to public safety and national security, the citizens would will be informed by the relevant authorities. “Various state organs responsible for national security are capable in their duty and responsibility of protecting the country and its citizens.

“As President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his national address, let us desist from fuelling a climate of fear and confusion. We must act responsibly and stop disseminating fake videos, photographs and messages, especially on social media, with an intention of negatively portraying our country and its people.”