Police on Wednesday said voice notes circulating on social media about schoolchildren being shot in Orlando East, Soweto, were not true.

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said there was a cash-in-transit robbery about 800m from the school on Tuesday.

“Police dismiss these voice notes as fake news and as an attempt to scare the community, children in particular,” Masondo said.

Masondo said the district commissioner of police on the West Rand, Maj-Gen Fred Kekana, and the station commander of Orlando police station, Brig Nonhlanhla Kubheka, met the principal of the school mentioned in the voice notes and were assured the pupils were all safe and no such incident happened at the school.

“Members of the public are cautioned to refrain from recirculating these voice notes as they cause unnecessary panic in the community, especially the parents and learners.”

TimesLIVE