Free State police say they have noted with concern the spread of unfounded messages on different social media platforms by unknown people making false claims about crimes that never happened.
Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane said the false reports do not only cause alarm in communities but force the police to use their limited resources trying to confirm the cases instead of focusing on crime prevention.
“These incidents are placing a serious strain on our resources, which would eventually negatively affect our response where a genuine case is reported,” said Motswenyane in a statement.
According to the statement, in some voice notes and posts circulated recently, the people were making false claims about a shooting incident on Small Street in Willows as well as an alleged drive-by shooting on Dr Belcher Road and an alleged gang-rape in Monnahalatwe in Phase 6, Bloemfontein.
Police spokesperson for the province Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said claims for the alleged incidents circulated through voice notes and posts were never reported at any police station in the areas they were said to have occurred.
He warned members of the public to refrain from originating, generating, compiling, producing, posting and or sharing fake news as the spreading of such claims causes unnecessary panic in communities. – Staff Reporter