No abductions reported – Dept of Education
A message currently circulating social media, identifying and accusing a woman of abducting school children and trafficking them to different countries is likely fake news.
The message consists of a photo of an unnamed woman, followed by text alerting communities of Middelburg, Carolina, Ermelo and Badplaas to be careful and that the “lady is stealing kids from school and take [taking] them outside the country”.
It further urges people to share the message to “save the lives of innocent kids”.
The original source of the message is unknown and has been forwarded numerous times.
According to the Provincial Spokesperson of the SAPS, Colonel Donald Mdluli, the legitimacy of the message could not be verified because it does not refer to abductions reported at any specific police stations.
Mr Jasper Zwane, media spokesperson for the Department of Education, the department is not aware of any abductions or incidents reported at local schools.
Mr Zwane has been in Middelburg for the last two days, dealing directly with the Circuit Manager and no abductions at local schools have been reported.
