THE Durban University of Technology (DUT) is condemning the false statements and misinformation circulating online, specifically related to student registration, available spaces, and confirmation of banking details that have been doing the rounds on some social media platforms this past weekend.
Senior director of corporate affairs at the university, Alan Khan, said, “The University is extremely concerned that the ‘fake news’ is purely intended to confuse DUT students and staff, to create chaos and to disrupt the university, thereby compromising operations and further unsettling the first semester.”
ALSO READ: DUT set to reopen three campuses
Despite the misinformation that was spread online, DUT confirmed in a statement that late, online registration for first-year students will end on Friday, March 11. Registration will remain online and no walk-in applications will be considered.
“DUT staff and students are urged to please be vigilant to the intentional misdirection from those who do not have their best interests in hand. We strongly advise university staff and students to only access official DUT statements through internal communication platforms. The official University Statements are also published on the DUT website,” said Khan.
ALSO READ: DUT sets the record straight on vaccination policy
According to a statement released by DUT, criminals have gone as far as circulating contact numbers of some university staff members, compromising their privacy.
“DUT students are advised to not circulate information that has not been verified and to avoid being part of the chain of fake news. They also need to avoid spreading information that fraudsters may use to manipulate unsuspecting victims,” said Khan.
* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
