Health minister does not have a PPE manufacturing company.
The health ministry has announced that the health minister Dr Zwelini Mkhize does not own a personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturing company.
This is to refute the rumour going viral on several social media platforms saying that the health minister owns a PPE company.
The rumour comes amidst the PPE tenders scandal.
These claims were shared on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp.
“We would like to categorically state that Minister Mkhize does not own a PPE manufacturing company nor is he involved in any way in the manufacturing of PPE”.
“In anticipation of any further emergence of fake news, we also categorically state that nobody in Minister Mkhize’s family is in the business of manufacturing, selling or distribution of PPE,” the ministry said on Monday.
The ministry also requested that anyone involved in writing those false claims to remove it from social media and also apologize to Mkhize and the public for advancing fake news.
The Department of Health added it would not hesitate to take action against those involved in promoting fake news.
“This kind of content is damaging to the reputation of honest, hard-working members of the executive. It distracts from and undermines the important work of fighting the coronavirus”.
“We are still in the midst of a pandemic and the best way to fight it is by arming ourselves with facts and sound knowledge that empowers us to defeat the coronavirus”.
