Cyril’s letter on brutality of cops ‘fake’
A letter, purported to be from the presidency about President Cyril Ramaphosa receiving several messages of concern from angry South Africans about kidnappings and police brutality, is fake.
The letter was widely circulated on social media groups enticing media organisations to report on a media briefing by Ramaphosa.
According to the presidency’s website, social media accounts – including Ramaphosa’s – and the presidency’s official Twitter handles, no such letter was issued at any time.
The letter which is riddled with spelling errors, including Police Minister Bheki Cele’s name being spelt as Beki Cele, claims Ramaphosa received messages about police brutality and the arrest of innocent people being accused of kidnapping.
It further claims the meeting took place at Genadendal, the official residence of the president in Cape Town, and included Cele, who pledged that recent arrests were illegal.
According to the letter, Ramaphosa confirmed he was looking into the assault on the individuals who were detained. “President Ramaphosa welcomed the suggestions and commitment from Ebrahim Asvat the Lenasia CPF (Community Policing Forum) chairman, and his commitment to working with government to fashion a regulatory regime that would facilitate safety in South Africa for its people and intimidation from corrupt police,” the letter said.
There have been calls for Asvat to step down for his alleged links to kidnapping mastermind Faizal Charloos, and after his son Ziyaad was arrested for alleged involvement in a kidnapping and extortion case.
Ziyaad has since appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court where the case was postponed to tomorrow. The letter also said Ramaphosa is expected to meet the “innocent individuals” who will appear in Alexandra Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.
This is not the first time that a fake letter has been circulated regarding kidnapping and extortion arrests. Last month, the SA Police Service confirmed to The Citizen that a media statement from a senior ranking officer providing details on Charloos was fake.