Image: Ziyanda Zweni
The Eastern Cape’s 5,400 schools reopened to 1.7 million pupils on Wednesday as the first term of the new decade began.
But no start of the school year is complete without at least some controversy.
The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has strongly criticised those behind a tweet which falsely states the agency is offering pupils school uniforms and stationery.
“This message is fake news. It is disturbing that some insensitive people find time to manufacture such fake news and play with the emotions of the needy,” Sassa’s Eastern Cape spokesperson, Luzuko Qina, said.
He said the messages originated from a January 2018 tweet aimed at creating confusion among social grant beneficiaries.
“This fake news coincides with the reopening of schools and has the potential of sending desperate parents to Sassa offices instead of taking their children to school.
“The timing itself shows malicious intent and builds mistrust between Sassa and the public.”
Read more of the story on DispatchLIVE
BY: BHONGO JACOB
SOURCE: DISPATCHLIVE
