Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says he’ll be taking action against media personality Somizi Mhlongo or possibly causing his arrest.
Mbalula is expected to report Mhlongo for contravening the lockdown regulation on fake news and misinformation.
The pair faced social media backlash on Thursday night after Mhlongo revealed that the lockdown would be extended, hours before the president’s official announcement.
This comes after Mhlongo was heard on Metro FM radio host Deneo Ranaka’s Instagram Live video saying the lockdown would be extended.
A video of the conversation is currently doing the rounds on social media, and it was widely shared just a few hours before President Cyril Ramaphosa officially announced a two-week extension of the national lockdown.
In it, Mhlongo can be heard saying the announcement would be made on Thursday night.
“Today they are announcing … the extension, I am telling you. I was speaking to Fikile [Mbalula],” said Mhlongo.
Ranaka abruptly cuts off her live broadcast as soon as Mhlongo said it was Mbalula who he was referring to.
But in a tweet later in the evening, Mbalula denied telling Mhlongo about the extension of the lockdown.
He said that at no stage did he speak to Somizi about lockdown — and that “my phones can be checked or meet with him”.
“Just called him now to rectify,” tweeted Mbalula.
He later reposted a video on Mhlongo apologising for his comments.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the national lockdown has been extended by a further two weeks.
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South Africa had been placed on a 21-day lockdown by the president in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The lockdown had been due to end on 16 April.
Mbalula is expected to report Somizi at Sandton Police Station
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