Zikalala slams Covid-19 conspiracy theorists - ‘Do your research’

The premier made the remarks during an update on the Covid-19 situation in the province on Sunday.

KwaZulu-Natal has the most amount of active Covid-19 cases as the second wave of the virus continues to grip the country.   

“We have noted a number of conspiracy theories, particularly on social media, from people claiming that Covid-19 does not exist, and it is somehow related to 5G mobile communication technology. 

“Others have sought to cast aspersions on the vaccine for Covid-19 and have discouraged people from taking a vaccine when it becomes available. We are pleading with those people to stop spreading fake news and malicious information. 

“We plead with the people to stop misleading the nation, rather invest your time in researching the real origins of the virus from reputable academic sources, understanding for yourself and rather than spreading lies.”  

The province saw a spike in Covid-19 cases among students who attended yearend Rage festivities in Ballito in December.

The event was subsequently labelled as a super-spreader by the Department of Health. 

“Young people, in particular, have been found to be amongst the biggest contributors to the movement and spread of Covid-19. This is largely because the vast majority of them tend to be outgoing but also because they tend to contract the virus and not show symptoms. 

“But when this happens, they are still infectious and easily pass it on to older people and grandparents. Then, as a result, some of the people become sick and others end up passing on.”