The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has raised concerns about the rise and rapid spread of fake news.
SASSA spokesperson Andile Tshona emphasized that the agency deals with and corrects misinformation on a daily basis, the latest being a false claim that grant beneficiaries will receive a double payment in June.
“We appeal to our beneficiaries not to expect any double payment in June as stated in various fake news reports, particularly on social media platforms. In line with the Ministry of Finance’s Policy Statement in March, grant increases were announced and came into effect in April, and there will be another increase again in October. Any other increase not announced by credible and relevant authorities should be treated as lies,” he added.
SASSA has urged beneficiaries to rely only on credible sources of information, such as the agency’s official social media pages.
