It adds that the government “is going to add three months of Totally lockdown which will start on 21 June , And president is asking all foreigners to vacate so that the country can left with its only citizens who will be given free food , water , electricity and free rent”.
The post has also been doing the rounds on WhatsApp.
As of 9 April, there were 1,845 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in South Africa, and 18 deaths.
But has Ramaphosa asked all foreign nationals to leave South Africa before 21 June, and announced an extension of the current lockdown?
‘WhatsApp post below is fake news’
Jackson Mthembu, the minister in the presidency of South Africa, tweeted on 7 April that the post was “fake news”.
FAKENEWS ALERT !!!President @CyrilRamaphosa has NOT asked foreign nationals to leave South Africa . The President has NOT said the #lockdown will be extended by the “ government of South Africa “ by three months , starting on 21 June . “ . The WhatsApp post below is fake news . pic.twitter.com/cP1WlahlKj
— Minister Jackson Mthembu (@JacksonMthembu_) April 7, 2020
(UPDATE: On 9 April 2020 president Ramaphosa extended the national lockdown, initially set to end on 16 April, by two more weeks.)
The department of home affairs also tweeted a screenshot of the post with “fake” stamped across it.
Ramaphosa has not said foreign nationals must leave South Africa because of coronavirus numbers. – Taryn Willows
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