ANC issues 'fake news' alert after WhatsApp message goes viral

The ANC has warned its members not to believe fake news articles that are being distributed on WhatsApp. WhatsApp is being used to distribute false messages about the ANC NEC’s meeting. Two messages, purporting to be News24 articles, were distributed over WhatsApp in the past three days.The ANC has cautioned its members not to believe these fake articles. The ANC has alerted its members that a fake news article, purporting to be from News24, is being distributed on the messaging platform WhatsApp. In a message posted by the governing party’s Twitter account, a bright red “fake news alert” was pasted on the false article, that claims an ANC official had altered a media statement by the party’s national executive committee (NEC) without informing the ANC’s officials.This was the second time in the past three days that a fake news article, using News24’s brand, had been distributed via WhatsApp. The first message on Saturday claimed that the party had suspended Carl Niehaus, an employee in Secretary-General Ace Magashule’s office, and coordinator of the so-called “Radical Economic Transformation” faction in the party.These false articles are written and designed in a way to look authentic. These latest two articles were distributed during the crucial meeting of…
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