South Africa’s former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, recently opened up about how she was scammed out of thousands of rands. This is after her friend’s WhatsApp account was hijacked by fraudsters. Posting on her Twitter account on Thursday 08 June, Madonsela revealed that the scammer used her friend’s number to ask for money from several people, including herself.
Madonsela said that it was only when the scammer became “greedy and brazen” that she and her son realized they were being scammed and warned their friends. The former Public Protector warned others to be careful and be aware of the real risks of WhatsApp ID theft or hacking.
While some social media users expressed sympathy for Madonsela’s experience, others were not so kind, with some suggesting that she was trying to protect Richard Dyantyi, the chairperson of the section 194 inquiry into the conduct of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane. Mkhwebane has accused Dyantyi and two other ANC members of Parliament of trying to solicit bribes from her using WhatsApp messages.
The incident highlights the growing problem of identity theft and fraud in South Africa. This problem appears to be big as many people shared their experiences under Madonsela’s post.