Stop reacting to child-snatching rumours: KZN cops

DURBAN — KwaMashu residents must stop reacting to rumours of foreigners abducting children, KwaZuluNatal police said yesterday.

They should not to play into the hands of criminals who were using the residents’ real concerns and fears to enrich themselves through looting, acting provincial commissioner Major General Bheki Langa said.

He said that as residents gathered to protest on Monday night, “criminal elements” moved in and looted shops in the area.

When police responded, these criminals attacked and fired shots at them.

This followed rumours circulated on social media that foreigners in the area were abducting children. Hundreds of children from various schools took to the streets to protest yesterday.

Langa appealed to people to only circulate information from the police’s official social media accounts or that had been verified with authorities by the mainstream media.

“At this stage we are investigating one case that was reported to police which involves a couple accused of being behind the fake abductions,” he said.

eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede condemned the attacks on African immigrants in the wake of unconfirmed reports of children being abducted from schools.

“I also learnt that members of the public in the northern parts of eThekwini blockaded roads on Monday, attacking African immigrants and looting shops, alleging that they were behind the abductions.” — Sapa