Johannesburg – The Minister of Home Affairs, Ms Ayanda Dlodlo has reacted with outrage towards a fake news article that was published on social media on Saturday evening, with an equally contemptuous headline; “South Africans living in other countries like Cape Town must come back home in order for us to be able to help them, Reveals Ayanda Dlodlo”
Minister Dlodlo is especially disturbed by this insensitive fake news because on the day she is said to have made these statements, she was mourning and burying her brother who passed on a few days earlier.
Contrary to what was claimed by the author, one Jade Wilsons, there was never an attempt to reach the Minister nor her office. The article ends by saying “story developing”. There is no story as the Minister has made no public appearances since the passing of her brother and therefore no story exists.
The phenomenon of fake news is a global problem that contaminates genuine news and the information highway and members of the public should be weary of these sites such as the southafricauncut[dot]com, which published the false news story.
“We are glad that we live in an information age and it’s a pity that some people have taken advantage of the space to further their nefarious agendas” she commented.
The Minister also cautioned members of the public who use social media about the dissemination of false information campaigns through these platforms, “social media and internet users should check their sources carefully because thousands of fake sites sprout out every day to mislead the unsuspecting public” she said.
Public Relations Specialist, Alexandra Masego of Millionsworth Public Relations believes the reaction to the story was a bit delayed as the story had already been circulated beyond the normal damage control threshold before the actual response was published.
This is why reputation management should be an individualised thing and not dependent on delegated sections of the government, she says.
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