Man arrested for posting fake news on coronavirus
A Cape Town man has been arrested for posting a video claiming that coronavirus testing kits are contaminated.
The video, in which he calls for South Africans to refuse coronavirus testing, went viral on social media.
Police spokesperson Mathapelo Peters says the 55-year old man is expected to appear in court on Tuesday following his arrest at Parow Police Station the previous day.
“The suspect has been charged in terms of Regulation 11 (5) (c) of the Disaster Management Act, in relation to publishing any statement through any medium, including social media, with the intention to deceive any other person about measures by the government to address Covid-19.”
South Africans could face a prison sentence of six months for spreading fake news about coronavirus, according to new regulations introduced by Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
