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The price of a murder in South Africa is 5,000 rand (“about £460”), according to early reports, including the BBC.

Oh no, it’s 15,000 rand (“about £1,400”). Again, according to the BBC, which quickly updated its story.

It’ll be interesting to see if the 5,000 rand figure spreads through the internet, as aggregation does its work, or if it’s been nipped in the bud.

And where did that come from in the first place? The coverage seems to have all come from a court report yesterday from the South African Press Agency. But from early on each of the two figures has been quoted as the hitman’s fee.

The 15,000 rand figure seems to be the winning number. Let’s hope that’s because it’s correct. This is the kind of story that journalism – and the police – need to get absolutely right.

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