Share

FAKE NEWS | Western Cape cops deny closing police stations because of coronavirus

Western Cape police on Tuesday denied that its police stations in Cape Town would close as a result of the novel coronavirus.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said reports on social media to that effect were "fake news".

LIVE | SA goes into disaster response mode amid coronavirus fears

The police stations mentioned include, among others, Delft, Mfuleni, Kuils River and Khayelitsha. The fake posts advised police officials to stay away from work until after the Easter weekend.

CORONAVIRUS LIES | Debunking the hoaxes around Covid-19

"The management of the SAPS in [the] province views the social media posts as mischievous, meant to sow unnecessary panic and confusion," Potelwa said. 

"All 151 police stations within the Western Cape remain operational serving the various communities of the province.

"Any SAPS communication pertaining to operations at police stations is disseminated through official SAPS mediums and platforms.

"Police officials are urged to continue creating safety and security among communities," Potelwa added. 

"Social media users are henceforth warned against posting untruths and advised to verify information before disseminating."

Stay up to date and stay healthy. Subscribe to Health24’s Daily Dose newsletter for important updates on the spread of the coronavirus. Register and manage your newsletters in the new News24 app by clicking on the Profile tab

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won't be billed. 
Subscribe to News24
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think South Africa has descended into a mafia state?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, that’s a bit extreme
6% - 174 votes
Yes, and it’s becoming normalised
94% - 2590 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.19
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
22.41
+0.0%
Rand - Euro
19.70
-0.0%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.15
+0.3%
Rand - Yen
0.14
+0.7%
Platinum
956.89
-1.1%
Palladium
1,417.66
+0.8%
Gold
1,963.01
-0.5%
Silver
23.11
-0.9%
Brent Crude
78.65
+0.7%
Top 40
70,445
0.0%
All Share
76,047
0.0%
Resource 10
66,460
0.0%
Industrial 25
102,327
0.0%
Financial 15
15,628
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE