Cape Town - Manenberg’s top cop has issued a warning that people caught spreading false information on social media, regarding shootings in the area, may face criminal charges.
Station commander Jayce Naido said there were various anomalies between a range of messages spread across the community and data obtained from the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system.
Naidoo explained that over the past few months an increase in social media posts, including WhatsApp message, has caused undue panic as police attend to a flare up in gun violence.
“The Manenberg police precinct and surrounding gang precincts are monitored by a high tech system, including air robotics that picks up gunshots. This data is relayed to a central point and converts it into data and the information is sent directly to the station commanders phone.
“In recent weeks analysis of the system was done in compared to the increased social media information of an upsurge in gunshots and it was found that scrupulous or cunning members of the community or an outside force that is undermining the rule of law and creating fear within our community sending messages to persons outside the area that the area is volatile and lawless.”
Naidoo said the distribution of false information will not be tolerated.
“Any information received should first be verified before being re-sent. It cannot be allowed that people post or recreate old social media posts as relevant and current. I will be opening criminal cases and will be investigating these incidents. and anyone found to be instigating this false information without verification will be criminally charged,” he said.
“This type of behaviour will not be tolerated.”