Hoax call not appreciated

The Department of Social Development was disappointed by a hoax call made to the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre by a Johannesburg community radio station presenter who posed as a distressed matriculant.

The department said the incident was unfortunate as the time wasted on the hoax call could have been used constructively to assist a matriculant or people who really needed the support.

The caller is heard telling the social worker that she did not see her name in the newspaper and she thought she had failed. In a calm and professional manner, the social worker is heard advising the caller to call the number provided by the Department of Basic Education as a credible source and not to rely solely on the newspaper.

Government had been stressing that matriculants should obtain their results from their schools or the Department of Basic Education as credible sources.

While the Department of Social Development appreciated the role of the media in informing, educating and holding the government to account, it found the abuse of a much-needed resource unacceptable.

With the assistance of the media, the centre had received an unprecedented number of calls from distraught matriculants and parents who were anxious about the future of their children.

The department encouraged matriculants to continue making use of the line by dialling 0800 428 428 or *120*7867#