SAPS warn about hoax social media posts
According to police, posting false information and hoaxes can have far-reaching repercussions.
The South African Police Service has noted with concern the increasing number of false posts on social media.
“Social media is a helpful medium for both the community and the police. However, fake news and the dissemination of false information which we have experienced of late not only sows panic among our communities, but also wastes the police’s time and resources,” said acting national police commissioner, Lt Gen Khomotso Phahlane.
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“Many social media posts relating to crime in general and crimes against women, children and vulnerable persons are relevant and helpful to the SAPS,” said Lt Gen Phahlane.
“After all, we participate on social media platforms in order to interact with communities and obtain their views and inputs. Policing is a consultative and collaborative process and the SAPS has no intention of serving and protecting in isolation from our communities.
“Hoaxes and false posts, some even maliciously published to extract revenge on an individual, to attract attention or to make a lover jealous, not only divert the police’s stretched resources but can also have far-reaching repercussions.”
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“While state resources are being utilised to verify and investigate hoaxes, the police are being diverted from performing their constitutionally mandated duties of preventing, detecting and combating crime and this is an untenable situation.
“Just as in the event of a person laying a false criminal charge, those spreading false information through social media, leading to crime being committed or fruitless use of state resources will be investigated and prosecuted or subjected to civil litigation to recover police expenses,” said Lt Gen Phahlane.
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