Publications
- A report that a teenager was electrocuted while putting up an ANC election poster in Gauteng is false.
- The report claims a 17-year-old boy was killed in October.
- Africa Check investigated and found the report to be fake.
An October 2020 Facebook post claims that a 17-year-old boy was electrocuted in Gauteng when trying to hang an election poster for the ANC higher than a poster for the EFF.
"A 17 year old young man in ward 60 Ekhuruleni lost his life yesterday (electrocuted) while attempting to put a poster of anc higher than that of the EFF on a pole (sic)," it reads.
It shows a photo of an electricity pole with two posters on it – one for the ANC and one for the EFF. An emergency response vehicle is next to the pole.
But did this really happen?
A Google search reveals the story was published on the Opera News website. The site does not have an "about" section nor any contact information.
The Know News tool, developed by watchdog Media Monitoring Africa to assess the credibility of websites, warns Opera News may contain dodgy information.
It says:
The supposed electrocution was not covered by any credible news organisation. Although Africa Check could not verify the origin of the photo, the claim that a 17-year-old boy lost his life after trying to hang up an ANC poster is false.
This report was written by Africa Check, a non-partisan fact-checking organisation. View the original piece on its website.
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