Africa Check

FAKE: Graphic claiming South African political party DA ‘welcomes all asylum seekers from Africa’ is AI-generated

A graphic circulating widely on social media in South Africa appears to show two high-ranking members of the Democratic ...
Africa Check

Pregnant women in South African province not told to ‘bring mattresses or give birth on the floor’ – health department dismisses claim

According to graphics doing the rounds on Facebook in South Africa, pregnant women in the country’s Eastern Cape province are ...
Africa Check

#LGE2026: nine ANC manifesto claims put to the test

Several of the ANC’s claims are supported by the data, including those on access to water and sanitation, state-subsidised housing, employment programmes and youth unemployment. But others need ...
Africa Check

#LGE2026 FACTSHEET: what the data tells us about electricity access in South Africa

More than nine in 10 South African households are connected to mains electricity. But access varies sharply depending on ...
Africa Check

South Africa’s #LGE2026: how your vote is counted – and what if something goes wrong?

Despite widespread false claims on social media, there are several mechanisms in place to help keep elections free and fair.
Africa Check

#LGE2026: Seven claims from the DA’s election manifesto fact-checked

Ahead of the local government elections, South Africa’s second-largest political party is campaigning on a promise to get the country’s towns and cities “working for all”. The DA’s claims focus on the ...
Africa Check

‘Don’t fall for it’: South African mining firm Sibanye-Stillwater not advertising hundreds of jobs on social media

IN SHORT: Mining giant Sibanye-Stillwater is not offering hundreds of positions through Facebook posts and unverified WhatsApp numbers. The company urges job seekers to stick to its verified platforms ...
Africa Check

Africa's premier information integrity summit to take place in Nairobi in October 2026

The fifth edition of the Africa Facts Summit will convene fact-checkers, journalists, researchers, policymakers, technologists and civil society actors in Kenya on 21 and 22 October 2026, as pressure ...
Africa Check

EXPLAINER: International migrants, jobs and crime in South Africa: What do the numbers show?

Amid rising hostility towards international migrants, anti-migrant protests have spread across South Africa in 2026. Some have involved intimidation, the denial of access to public services and fatal ...
Africa Check

Beware, Coca-Cola not offering South Africans ‘unemployed learner visual merchandisers’ learnerships on social media

IN SHORT: Claims that jobseekers can apply for a learnership position as “unemployed learner visual merchandisers” at Coca-Cola are scams. Jobseekers are urged to stick to verified websites and social ...
Africa Check

From presidential farm robbery to impeachment enquiry: a moving timeline of Ramaphosa's Phala Phala scandal

What has become known as the Phala Phala scandal has followed South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa through his second term in office, drawing in some of South Africa's most powerful institutions ...
Africa Check

How many child rapes occur in South Africa per day?

The South African Police Service records statistics on sexual offences against victims under the age of 18. In 2024/25, a total of 22,055 sexual offences were reported, which includes rape as well as ...