Photo: PowerFM / Twitter
Photo: PowerFM / Twitter
Former Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba may have landed himself in a spot of bother on Tuesday. He falsely claimed that ANC members had broke lockdown laws and social distancing guidelines during a funeral for slain Gauteng politician, Mapiti Matsena. Fikile Mbalula is now livid with the leader of The People’s Dialogue.
Has Herman Mashaba been spreading fake news?
Mashaba shared a clip of people singing and dancing at what he thought was a memorial service, claiming that it had happened this week. No masks, gloves, or COVID-19 precautions were in sight. But the transport minister soon corrected his political adversary, saying that the footage was two years old:
“This is fake news. Herman Mashaba boldly spread this as fact. The video is from the 2018 ANC Conference, and not at a funeral service for Mapiti Matsena”
Fikile Mbalula
You should be arrested for spreading FAKE NEWS this is the ANC conference 2018.
— Minister of Transport |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) July 21, 2020
Fikile Mbalula puts Herman Mashaba on the back-foot
Herman Mashaba has been back-peddling since Mbaks’ stern Tweet, and deleted the viral clip:
“I acted on the information at hand. The source assured me it was recent. It was an honest mistake. Deleted. What I find interesting is that you are more concerned with arresting me for fake news than with your colleagues who are looting the relief fund and taking us for fools.”
Herman Mashaba
What are the ‘fake news’ laws in South Africa?
Fikile Mbalula certainly has previous. He laid charges against his celebrity friend Somizi, when the TV personality claimed that Mbaks told him about unreleased lockdown laws back in April. If that’s how he treats his mates, then Herman Mashaba should expect no favours from the minister this time around.
However, despite Mbalula’s threat, it looks like the devil remains in the detail. The State of Disaster laws contains the following passage about the dissemination of fake news related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although offenders can be fined and imprisoned, it seems the ex-mayor’s actions occupy a grey area:
Any person who publishes any statement, through any medium, including social media, with the intention to deceive any other person about;
(a) The COVID-19 pandemic
(b) The infection status of any person
(c) or any measure taken by the Government to address the disease…
Commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment.
State of Disaster laws
