SAPS Urges Public to Stop Sharing Unverified Claims That Kempton Park Killer Fled to Potchefstroom
- A social media message alleged that the suspect behind eight women's murders in Ekurhuleni had relocated to Potchefstroom
- The claim described the suspect in detail and urged students near North-West University to exercise extreme caution
- The South African Police Service weighed in on the allegation, which surfaced after a R400,000 reward was offered
- Briefly News spoke with two NWU students who received the WhatsApp messages and were fearful
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG — The South African Police Service (SAPS) has urged the public to stop sharing unverified information on social media after a claim about the Kempton Park killings surfaced online.
The claim, which has been shared across WhatsApp and social media, alleged that the suspect linked to a series of murders in Ekurhuleni has fled to Potchefstroom, in the North West province.
The unverified message claimed that the suspect had been connected to a suspicious incident near the Bult area of Potchefstroom in the early hours of Wednesday morning. It described him as a man in his mid-30s, approximately 1.8 metres tall, with a scar across his left cheekbone.
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It also alleged that he had crossed Gauteng checkpoints in a hijacked silver sedan. It further claimed that police had deployed specialised units, drones and a mobile command centre and urged students around the North-West University campus to exercise extreme caution.
Police respond to unverified claims
Discussing the circulation of the message, North West police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh said the South African Police Service understood the concerns that a message of this nature could cause.
"We appeal to the community not to spread unverified information or create unnecessary panic, because any genuine operational development or public safety warning will be communicated through official SAPS channels," Colonel Myburgh said.
The claims surfaced after police announced that a R400,000 reward was on offer for information leading to an arrest. It's not the only claim about the tragedy that has surfaced online.
Briefly News journalist Jessica Gcaba spoke with two NWU students who received the WhatsApp messages and were fearful
"It's really important to verify information before resharing it, especially because people or rather women's lives, are at risk. As a student who walks daily to campus, I’m always afraid. I no longer attend my physical lectures because of senseless people spreading false news about such a serious matter," Amahle Tshazi said.
Another NWU student, Lethabo, was agitated when she received the WhatsApp message.
"The problem is that abantu ba shonelwe (people died) and this perpetrator is not the loose, and it is very scary, but cold-hearted people will do anything for likes, even on things we should not joke about."
Adding to the fear, a student claimed to have received a warning message on their residence group bout a possible kidnpping syndicate, urging them to be aware at all times.
Source: Facebook
Social media users share mixed reactions to the claims
The unverified post drew sharp responses from South Africans online.
Tracy Beukes wrote:
"This is fake news. I live in Potch, and they have told us it's fake."
Virend Gopichand questioned the absence of an official identikit, writing:
"Do they have an identikit of the person? If not, then stop with the misinformation. This is a sensitive topic."
Malo Sithole raised concerns about the reward potentially fuelling false accusations:
"Hunger will make people accuse wrong people because of that R400k."
Bongani Mgubela offered a different perspective:
"I won't be surprised if he's relocated. Media reports have made him vigilant."
Maleven Zayin suggested the suspect may be known to the community, writing:
"This serial killer is a well-known member of the community; it's just that people don't expect it to be someone they greet or pass every day."
Criminologist weighs in on possibility of a serial killer
Briefly News reported that criminologist Professor Nirmala Gopal weighed in on the murders in Kempton Park.
Professor Gopal said that the pattern of killings involving the women was consistent with the work of a single perpetrator.
The police have urged caution against drawing premature conclusions, as the community has been gripped by fear.
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Source: Briefly News
