A fake post purporting to be a Daily Voice news story has been circulating on social media, claiming that three young men from Blikkiesdorp in Delft were gevang after being on the run from police.
The post labelled the manne as criminals who were arrested for damages of property and burglary on Sunday, May 21 in Blikkiesdorp.
The post has the Daily Voice banner attached to it but the paper has never run the story and labelled it as fake news.
Speaking to the Daily Voice, the ouens depicted in the post says that they are innocent and have never committed a crime, and instead are actually crime-fighters.
Brothers Muhammad and Ismael Hassen, as well as Abdul-Aziz Jantjies, are part of the Delft Neighborhood Watch, and say they aspire to join the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement.
Abdul-Aziz, 27, says this is not the first time their faces have been attached to fake posts and it is creating a safety hazard.
“I am unsure why people would make fake posts like this. We want to get into law enforcement and need to volunteer as part of the neighbourhood watch,” he explained.
“There was a previous post before saying we are rapists, ATM bombers, burglars, kidnappers and cable thieves.
“I was never involved in any crime, I worked in retail before joining the NHW but because of this post me and Ishmael have been gunpointed in Parow and my friend was already chased from work.”
Muhammad, 18, says he matriculated last year and fears for his safety.
“I want to join Law Enforcement because it can open many doors and I want to bring change [in my community] because no-one is going to change our circumstances, we need to do it ourselves,” he added.
“I don’t know who is the person who is making these posts, but luckily most of the people in Blikkiesdorp know me and know that I am not doing these things,” he says.
Community activist Jonathan Jantjies says the post is being shared on Facebook and WhatsApp groups.
He confirms that the young men are part of the Delft Neighbourhood Watch.
“They are very committed when it comes to the safety of Blikkiesdorp, it is clear that someone is trying to label these boys as part of a gang or crime which they are not,” Jantjies says.
“I am concerned for these three young men’s safety and reputation. If the community did not know them, they would have been attacked a long time ago.”
He urges anyone with information about who created the post to contact the Delft police.
marsha.dean@inl.co.za