A possible fresh xenophobic attack has just been averted after South African Twitter users were quickly corrected when they claimed that a Nigerian man had killed a South African woman.
Recall that the most recent Xenophobia attacks in South Africa reportedly started after a drug dealer who was not properly identified and accused to be a Nigerian man killed a South African Taxi driver who stopped him from selling drugs to a minor.
What really happened this time was that a man identified as Michael Brits, popularly known as MIKE violently attacked his female friend, putting her in a bad shape inside Sandton Skye Apartment in Johannesburg and she is currently fighting for her life.
Shortly after the incidence, a South African twitter handle @voiceofsouthafrica began to spread false report that Mike is a Nigerian without doing any form of background check before making the accusations. See the tweet below.
Another Twitter user also jumped in and shared the the video of the incident and wrote: “A South African sister has allegedly been beaten by Nigerian man in Sandton Skye. On her way to hospital she passed on due to severe head injuries. Rest peacefully Sister.”
But another Twitter user, known as @BonoloMaphutha quickly called out the Twitter user for spreading false reports. She revealed that the man in question is a South African and that the woman isn’t dead as claimed.
Also, South African based Nigerian singer, Scoobynero also came on and properly identified Mike and released Mike’s ID to to prove it. He wrote:
“MIKE IS SOUTH AFRICAN XHOSA MAN , a popular one at that HE IS NOT A NIGERIAN 👎🏾 , NEXT thing they will say SCOOBYNERO YOU ARE A public Figure don’t involve in things like this { BUT I WILL NOT JUST CLOSE MY EYES N LET ANYONE ACCUSE ANY NIGERIAN WRONGFULLY , if I don’t do this with my platforms the news will circulate and my brothers might start getting attacked again , { AND BY THE WAY SHE IS NOT DEAD } Please help find MIKE #SayNoToWomenAbuse”
A photo of the suspect was also shared online to debunk the false tweets.