The SABC has expanded its News and Current Affairs services on free-to-air television channels with immediate effect.
The public broadcaster says this is a direct response to the escalating need for public awareness on information around the coronavirus outbreak. It has also committed to continue to provide citizens with valuable, accurate and factual news and information during this period.
“The SABC has decided to urgently expand its news and current affairs services on free to air television channels as well as its African language radio stations, including English radio stations like SA fm and Radio 2000 with immediate effect. This means that all relevant media briefings will be broadcast live on SABC Tv and radio,” says SABC acting spokesperson, Mmoni Seapolelo.
In the video below, the COVID-19 National Command Council brief the media on latest developments:
This comes as efforts to thwart fake news continue.
The University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital have urged South Africans to verify messages passed on to them on the virus.
The call followed a fake message that the university says has been doing the rounds on WhatsApp attributed to a “Head of Virology”.
It called on members of the public not to panic and go to credible sources of information for developments.
Important update regarding the #WhatsApp messages making the rounds on #CoronavirusSouthAfrica. For official information, go to https://t.co/JUIMsosqG5 #StopTheSpread #Day2 pic.twitter.com/d0am2cOYZx
— Western Cape Gov (@WesternCapeGov) March 28, 2020
A social analyst and managing director of the Black Box theory Yavi Madurai gives more insight to fake news:
