South African media fall for presidency's April Fool joke

[April 02, 2015]  JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The South African president's office sent out a press release on Wednesday announcing new cabinet appointments for positions that do not exist, making April Fools of some local media.

The new positions included ministers for Public Participation and Interface, and Roads and Traffic Affairs.

The local media house EWN initially ran the story, but later updated it with the headline "We fell for it".

President Jacob Zuma is generally given a hard time by the opposition Democratic Alliance but his rivals took the joke in good humor.

"I did think it was funny," DA's parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane told the local channel News24. "I wish they could be very serious every other day of the year."

(Reporting by Helen Nyambura-Mwaura; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

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