March 29, 2023
South Africa: Gauteng's Water Use Above World Average? Water Minister Rehashes Flawed Statistics About South Africa's Most Populous Province
In March 2023, the South African department of water and sanitation celebrated national water month with advocacy and awareness campaigns to conserve and use water in a sustainable… Read more »
March 22, 2023
South Africa: No, Video of South African Politician Ace Magashule Endorsing President Cyril Ramaphosa Is Not From March 2023 but From 3 Years Earlier
IN SHORT: The politics of the ruling African National Congress may at times appear topsy-turvy to South Africans, but this video does not show suspended member and former… Read more »
South Africa: Video of Large Group of Protesters From 2020, Not South African #nationalshutdown in March 2023
IN SHORT: A number of videos and photos were shared on social media in South Africa on 20 March, many claiming to show supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters taking to the… Read more »
March 20, 2023
Africa: South Africa's #nationalshutdown - Beware Misleading Visuals Circulating On Social Media
The Economic Freedom Fighters party was on Monday 20 March protesting a slew of grievances. But not all was what it seemed to be. Read more »
March 09, 2023
South Africa: No, This Photo Doesn't Show a Crumbling Bridge Support in 2023 South Africa - It's From an Earthquake in Japan in 2004
IN SHORT: South Africans and Ugandans on social media were quick to claim a photo showing a damaged concrete pillar was down to vandalism. But this isn't true - the photo shows a… Read more »
March 07, 2023
South Africa: Debating the State of the Nation - South African MPs' Claims About Crime, Education, Service Delivery and More Scrutinised
Are only 4% of rapes reported in South Africa? Is 54% of water lost to leaks and poor infrastructure? We checked these and other claims made during the 2023 state of the nation… Read more »
February 28, 2023
Kenya: Video of High School Students Being Bullied Not From Kenya, but Zimbabwe
IN SHORT: A video and photos circulating on social media claims to show two high school boys being bullied by fellow students in Kenya. However, the incident took place in… Read more »
February 10, 2023
Africa: Don't Be Fooled - Ignore Facebook Page Advertising Policing, Firefighting and Nursing Training in South Africa
IN SHORT: South African job-seekers should steer away from Facebook posts offering opportunities in the correctional services. Read more »
February 09, 2023
South Africa: 2022 SONA Promises - South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa Zero for Two On State Utilities Eskom and Transnet
As president Cyril Ramaphosa prepares to deliver his state of the nation address for 2023, we look back at two promises made a year ago he and his government have not kept. Read more »
February 03, 2023
Zimbabwe: Road Riddled With Potholes in Harare, Zimbabwe? No, Photo From India
IN SHORT: Zimbabwe's road infrastructure may be crumbling, but a photo shared widely on social media of a road riddled with truly massive potholes is not from the southern African… Read more »
January 31, 2023
Nigeria: Danger! Bitter Kola Eye Drops Won't Cure Glaucoma, Myopia and Other Eye Problems - See Doctor Instead
IN SHORT: Our eyes are sensitive and easily damaged, which could lead to blindness. Don't put anything in your eyes that hasn't been approved by a qualified health professional. Read more »
January 12, 2023
South Africa: Controversial Anti-Women Social Media Influencer Andrew Tate Has Not Been Released From Detention in Romania
IN SHORT: The arrest of Andrew Tate in Romania on allegations of human trafficking made headlines in December 2022. Despite persistent social media rumours, he, his brother and two… Read more »
January 11, 2023
South Africa: No, Strange Claim That International Football Association Requested to Keep Late Brazilian Legend Pelé's Feet for 'Historical Reasons' Is Not True
IN SHORT: Pelé, the Brazilian footballer considered by many the greatest of all time, died on 29 December 2022 at the age of 82. But despite persistent rumours on social… Read more »
South Africa: No, Facebook Post Does Not Show Images of Over 80 Iranian Muslims Being Baptised
IN SHORT: Photos are circulating on Facebook in South Africa with the claim they show the Christian baptism of more than 80 Iranian Muslims, in Germany. But each photo is from a… Read more »
January 10, 2023
South Africa: No Evidence South African Provincial Minister Nomusa Dube Made Racial Remark in 2011 Statement About Deadly Kwazulu-Natal Lightning Strikes
IN SHORT: An old quote attributed to then-provincial minister, now premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has been circulating on social media in South Africa. While some of… Read more »
January 05, 2023
South Africa: No Evidence Limpopo Province-Born South African Politician Julius Malema Is Actually From Zimbabwe
IN SHORT: A photo of a group of young men keeps popping up on Facebook in South Africa, with the claim it shows opposition politician Julius Malema and that he is originally from… Read more »
December 13, 2022
South Africa: The Changing Face of Covid Misinformation in South Africa - 2020 to 2022 in Review
Fact-checkers aren't seeing anywhere near the volume of false information about Covid-19 as we did in the heyday of the pandemic. But as fears about the virus recede, other health… Read more »
December 19, 2022
South Africa: No, South Africa's Durban Harbour Isn't a 'Dumping Site' Full of Litter in December 2022 - Photos and Footage From 2019 Floods
IN SHORT: Many South Africans head to Durban for the summer holidays, but in December 2022 a number of alarming social media posts appeared to discourage this, showing the city's… Read more »
South Africa: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - We Rate South African Government Websites
South Africans have the right to access government information, so it's important that agency and department websites work well. Africa Check's researchers review these sites -… Read more »
December 13, 2022
South Africa: No, People Eight People Arrested in South African Tender Fraud Case Aren't 'Democratic Alliance Officials'
IN SHORT: Two people who work for the Democratic Alliance-run Cape Town municipality were implicated in the fraud, but there is no evidence that they are "officials" in the… Read more »
December 09, 2022
South Africa: South Africans Took Wrong Covid Vaccine? No!
IN SHORT: A tweet claiming that South Africans were given the "wrong Covid vaccine" is incorrect. A batch of an unauthorised nasal spray to help treat Covid symptoms was ordered by… Read more »
December 08, 2022
Kenya: No, Photo of Crude Outdoor Classroom From Malawi - Not Constituency of Controversial New Kenyan MP
IN SHORT: A recently elected MP sparked outrage with his proposal that Kenya's two-term limit on a president's service be done away with. But a photo of students in a makeshift log… Read more »
South Africa: Jabbed Germans Banned From Buying Cars? No. Tired Old Covid Disinformation Gets Weirder
IN SHORT: Almost three years after the Covid pandemic began, conspiracy theorists are still trying to sell their ideas online. This time, it's not true that the 75% of Germans… Read more »
December 05, 2022
South Africa: No, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa Has Not Resigned
IN SHORT: A scandal over stolen money at the private farm of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has raised the spectre of his resignation. But he has not left office, as a… Read more »
November 22, 2022
South Africa: No Unusual Typhoid Fever 'Outbreak' in South Africa in November - or February - 2022
IN SHORT: A message going viral in November 2022 claims that high numbers of typhoid fever cases have been reported in eight of South Africa's nine provinces. But the message is an… Read more »