Angie slates fake news

MINISTER SAYS SHE NEVER SAID SUCH THINGS Government livid about lies that make her look stupid.

The department of basic education said yesterday it was concerned by the spread of fake news, including a report which had Minister Angie Motshekga reportedly warning against children reading too much as this could cause brain cancer.

In a statement, the department said it had noted the “recent spate of fake news doing the rounds on social media” and despite the “ridiculous nature of the statements, some members of the public have expressed concern over the fake reports”.

“We would like to reassure the public that Motshekga has never said that too much studying causes brain cancer,” the department said. “The fake news article quotes the minister as saying: “Pupils must take care of themselves and rest these holidays. I would advise them not to touch their books so they can rest their brains, because studying too much causes brain cancer.”

The statement added: “Anyone who follows the minister’s interventions would know that she is a passionate advocate of reading.

“She has on numerous occasions urged pupils to use their free time to discover the magic of books. She has also launched the Read to Lead Campaign, which is a reading advocacy initiative that urges pupils to read for 30 minutes a day.

“Another item of fake news is that the minister wants to help school dropouts get employment by giving them matric certificates as long as they are able to read and write. We urge the public to be vigilant,” the statement said. – ANA