CAPE TOWN, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Presidency on Friday denied reports that President Jacob Zuma is not concerned about a devastating fire in Knysna, the Western Cape Province which is administered by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA).
The Presidency has noted a report by one of the online "fake news" outlets which quoted Zuma as saying that the fire in Knysna was not his concern.
According to the report by online news outlet Trendolizer, Zuma said "what is happening in Knysna is not enough to get presidential attention".
"I cannot alter any budget or have extra resources wasted on people who obviously voted for the DA," Zuma reportedly said.
This was "a very shocking and racist statement" about Knysna fire, the report said.
This is "fake news" that the public should be vigilant against, the Presidency said.
Since Wednesday, the fire has engulfed Knysna, a scenic tourism resort along the Garden Route about 600 kilometers east of Cape Town, destroying hundreds of homes and displacing more than 10,000 people.
The fire has spread to surrounding areas, having killed at least four people.
"We are extremely concerned by the loss of life, displacement of people and total devastation that have been visited on the residents of the Western Cape including Knysna, Plettenburg Bay in the Cape Peninsula and all affected areas as a result of the severe weather and heavy storms," Zuma said in a statement distributed by the Presidency.
The government has dispatched humanitarian and other support to all the affected areas, especially the poor communities, which is being coordinated through the National Joint Operations Center, working with the Western Cape Provincial Government and Provincial Disaster Management teams, Zuma said.
"We also thank all those who have come forward with support to the affected communities and appeal to those with the means to assist the residents of Western Cape who have been caught by the devastating effects of the storm," the president added.
