Oudtshoorn, 17 August 2023 – The Municipal Manager of the Greater Oudtshoorn, Mr Walter Hendricks, makes an urgent appeal to residents not to participate in the distribution of messages that contain misinformation and can even incite strong emotions in people. Based on events in Swellendam, it became clear that the violent actions were mainly the result of misinformation that was spread.
“It is worrying that since yesterday, 16 August 2023, residents of Oudtshoorn have also been sending irresponsible voicemails around which are causing tempers to run high. One would expect that our residents would see the danger of such messages and refrain from them,” Hendricks told the media during a media conference on Thursday morning, 17 August 2023. He emphasized that people should not be led by the noses by individuals or groups with personal agendas. “We work in a structured environment according to specific legal guidelines that cannot be adjusted randomly according to people’s own expectations.”
Another cause for concern arises from individuals who disseminate misinformation concerning municipal rates, the budget, and even municipal officials, both through social media platforms and various WhatsApp groups. “Despite all the information that the municipality regularly makes available to residents, there are still people who spread incorrect information. People who are guilty of this, as well as the administrators of social media groups and WhatsApp groups where this information is distributed, should realize that they can be held legally responsible for spreading disinformation. Such incidents are viewed in an extremely serious light and the police have already contacted a person linked to one of the voice messages yesterday,” Hendricks said, adding that it is trusted that the community will regard this request in a serious light, aiming to safeguard Oudtshoorn and its residents against potential criminal actions that may ensue from misinformation.
WAARSKUWING OOR DISINFORMASIE
Oudtshoorn, 17 Augustus 2023 – Die Munisipale Bestuurder van die Groter Oudtshoorn, Mnr Walter Hendricks, doen ‘n dringende beroep op inwoners om nie deel te neem aan die verspreiding van boodskappe wat waninligting bevat en selfs mense kan opsweep nie. Aan die hand van gebeure in Swellendam het dit aan die lig gekom dat die geweldadige optrede hoofsaaklik die gevolg was van waninligting wat versprei is.
“Dit is kommerwekkend dat mense in Oudtshoorn sedert gister ook onverantwoordelike stemboodskappe rondstuur wat gemoedere hoog laat loop. ‘n Mens sou verwag dat ons inwoners die gevaar van sulke boodskappe sal insien en hulle daarvan weerhou,” het Hendricks aan die media gesê. Hy het beklemtoon dat mense hulle nie aan die neuse moet laat lei deur individue of groepe met persoonlike agendas nie. “Ons werk in ‘n gestruktureerde omgewing volgens spesifieke wetlike riglyne wat nie lukraak aangepas kan word volgens mense se eie verwagtinge nie.”
‘n Verdere bron van kommer is mense wat waninligting ten opsigte van munisipale tariewe en die begroting en selfs oor munisipale amptenare op sosiale media en op verskeie WhatsApp-groepe versprei. “Ten spyte van al die inligting wat die munisipaliteit gereeld aan inwoners beskikbaar stel, is daar steeds mense wat verkeerde inligting versprei. Mense wat hulle hieraan skuldig maak, sowel as die administrateurs van sosiale media-groepe en WhatsApp-groepe waar hierdie inligting versprei word, moet besef dat hulle regsaanspreeklik gehou kan word vir die verspreiding van disinformasie. Sulke voorvalle word in ‘n uiters ernstige lig beskou en die polisie het gister reeds kontak gemaak met ‘n persoon wat aan een van die stemboodskappe verbind word,” het Hendricks gesê en bygevoeg dat daar vertrou word dat die gemeenskap hierdie versoek in ‘n ernstige lig sal beskou om Oudtshoorn en sy mense te beskerm teen moontlike kriminele aksies wat kan volg op waninligting.
ISILUMKISO NGEMIYALEZO ENGANYANISEKANGA
UMphathi Masipala waseTshorweni, uMnu Walter Hendricks, ubongoza abahlali ukuba bangathabathi nxaxheba ekusasazeni imiyalezo equlathe ulwazi olungelulo nolunokuvuselela iimvakalelo ezimandla eluntwini. Ngokubhekiselele kwiziganeko zaseSwellendam, kuyacaca ukuba izenzo zogonyamelo ziyimiphumela yemiyalezo engachanekanga esasaziweyo.
“Iyakhathaza into yokuba ukusukela ngomhla we-16 kweyeThupha -2023, abemi baseOudtshoorn nabo bebethumela imiyalezo engaqondakaliyo ebangela umsindo. Umntu unokulindela ukuba uluntu lubone ubungozi bemiyalezo enjalo kwaye malohlukane noko, ”utshilo uHendricks ebhekisa kumajelo eendaba ngexesha lenkomfa yeendaba ngentsasa yangoLwesine, umhla we-17 kweyeThupha 2023. Ugxininise ukuba uluntu malungatsalwa ngeempumlo ngabantu okanye ngamaqela aneenjongo ezizezawo ubuqu. “Sisebenza kwindawo ehleliweyo ngokwemigaqo yezomthetho ethile engenakuguqulwa ngokungalindelekanga nangokwentando yoluntu.”
Esinye isizathu sokuxhalaba sivela kubantu abasasaza ulwazi olungelulo malunga neerhafu zikamasipala, uhlahlo lwabiwo-mali, kunye namagosa kamasipala, kumaqonga osasazo loluntu kunye namaqela ahlukeneyo ka-WhatsApp. “Nangona nje zonke iinkcukacha ezibhekiselele eluntwini zisasazwa rhoqo ngumasipala, kusekho abantu abasasaza iinkcukacha ezingngekhoyo. Abantu abanetyala loku, kwanabaphathi bamaqela onxibelelwano namaqela kaWhatsApp apho olu lwazi lusasazwa khona mabaqonde ukuba banokuba noxanduva ngokusemthethweni lokusasaza ulwazi olungeyonyani . Iziganeko ezinje zijongwa njengezinobuzaza kwaye amapolisa sele enxibelelane nomntu obandakanyekayo kulemiyalezo izolo, utshilo uHendricks, esongeza ngelithi kuyathenjwa ukuba uluntu luyakuthi lusithabathele ingqalelo emandla esi sicelo, ngenjongo yokukhusela i-Oudtshoorn kunye nabemi bayo kwizenzo zolwaphulo-mthetho ezinokubangelwa ziintetho ezingeyonyani