Man who posted fake video of contaminated test kits arrested

A South African man who posted a video falsely claiming that Covid-19 testing kits may be contaminated has been arrested. 

The video, which circulated widely on social media, called on South Africans to refuse testing for Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus. 

The 55 year-old is expected to appear in court on Tuesday following his arrest on Monday by Cape Town police. 

In the video, The man appears with a cotton bud stuck up his nose, telling viewers this is “the most important message you will ever hear in your entire life”.

He goes on to claim that the South African government will send 10,000 health workers door to door to test for Covid-19, and that viewers should under no circumstances allow themselves to be tested.

The man claims that the testing swabs are in fact used to “spread the virus” - a false and dangerous claim.

On his Facebook page the man also claims that Covid-19 is a ‘total lie’ and that 5G cell masts will kill thousands of South Africans “with radiation”.

The man has been charged under the terms of the recently passed Disaster Management Act, which prohibits the spreading of fake news in relation to Covid-19 and the government’s response. 

Photo: US Centres for Disease Control