Africa Check | Sorting fact from fiction

Ousted Nairobi governor wrong to say Kenya president has borrowed ‘over KSh8 trillion in eight years’

Following a cooling of relations between former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko and president Uhuru Kenyatta, Sonko took to social media to list...

ANC Youth League promotes debunked steam and pH ‘cures’ for Covid-19

In two Youth League-branded posters circulated widely on social media in South Africa, claims are made that eating alkaline foods and inhali...

immigrants

migration

‘Almost 100%’ of restaurant workers in South Africa are foreign? Official data disproves finance minister Mboweni’s claim

Since 1990, the share of foreign-born workers in South African restaurants has risen from just two in 10 to “almost 100%”, finance minister ...

No full South African matric rewrite due to paper leaks, varsity acceptance unchanged

Some matric exams were leaked in late November 2020. But there's no truth to social media claims that final-year high school students will h...

Kenya

Nairobi

Sonko

President Kenyatta

Ousted Nairobi governor wrong to say Kenya president has borrowed ‘over KSh8 trillion in eight years’

ANC

ANCYL

Coronavirus

covid-19

inhalation

pH

steam

ANC Youth League promotes debunked steam and pH ‘cures’ for Covid-19

immigrants

migration

‘Almost 100%’ of restaurant workers in South Africa are foreign? Official data disproves finance minister Mboweni’s claim

education

exams

matric

university

No full South African matric rewrite due to paper leaks, varsity acceptance unchanged

Featured

YOU ASKED: Does South Africa have 1.2 million healthcare workers?

South Africa’s plan for Covid-19 vaccination is to give the first shots to 1.2 million healthcare workers, president Cyril Ramaphosa has sai...

technology

What’s up with your data on WhatsApp? Explaining the app’s new privacy terms

Experts have described the changes as cosmetic, but that did not stop a pushback by users, many who sought options.

ANALYSIS: Fact-checking claims about service delivery in South Africa since 1994

With South African municipal elections set to take place in 2021, we can expect a lot of service delivery comparisons. They may not all add ...

journalists

science journalism

COMMENT: We need science journalists not press release cheerleaders

Science journalism, unlike science communication, exists to serve the reader. Getting it wrong can only undermine the public's trust in scie...

account

Duduzane

Twitter

ANALYSIS: No, that's not Duduzane Zuma’s Twitter account. Here’s why

Is the @Duduzane__Zuma Twitter account really run by former South African president Jacob Zuma’s son? Some online sleuthing reveals the acco...

ANALYSIS: What we know about Covid-19 and smoking so far

The data currently available points to a bizarre trend. It is contrary to everything we know about the expected disease outcomes for smokers...

Ousted Nairobi governor wrong to say Kenya president has borrowed ‘over KSh8 trillion in eight years’

Following a cooling of relations between former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko and president Uhuru Kenyatta, Sonko took to social media to list...

agriculture

Farm murders

farms

Have South Africa’s commercial farmers declined from 120,000 in 1994 to 38,000? DA MP’s claim is misleading

Parliamentarians recently debated farm murders in South Africa. We looked into a startling claim made by an opposition MP.

Nigeria’s population, economy and history: fact-checking Buhari’s independence day speech

When Nigeria turned 60 on 1 October 2020, president Muhammadu Buhari took the country on a journey through time. We fact-checked his claims.

cardiovascular disease

causes of death

health

Yes, cardiovascular disease is second leading cause of death in South Africa

In drawing attention to the high number of deaths from heart disease in South Africa, the national heart association said only HIV/Aids clai...

Fact-checking cabinet minister about tourism’s value to Kenyan economy

Kenya’s tourism minister Najib Balala is calling for more investment to spur recovery. But is his valuation of this vital sector accurate?

FACTSHEET: What you need to know about vaccine approval in Nigeria

As the world counts down the weeks to a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine, we look at the steps that would have to be followed before the...

FACTSHEET: South African service delivery in 1994 – what we do and don’t know

South African politicians often make claims about how access to water, electricity and sanitation has improved – or worsened – since 1994. T...

Factsheet: Child malnutrition in South Africa

Malnutrition in children can lead to wasting, stunting, underweight and obesity, putting the child at risk of illness – and difficulties lat...

FACTSHEET: How to talk about migration in South Africa

The words used to describe migration can be confusing, but definitions are important when we discuss the movements of people. We look at the...

FACTSHEET: Five questions about 5G technology answered

We unpack key aspects of this wireless technology, which has in recent months found itself at the fore of public health debate.

Ms Anna Jacobs fills her bucket with water from a tap placed by the government next to her house in this April 1999 file picture. As the world marks World Water Day on 22 March, for many in Africa, water access remains a key challenge. Photo: ODD AND

Info Finder quiz: environment

Do you consider yourself environmentally conscious? Take our quiz and find out how much you know about the environment, natural resources an...

Info Finder quiz: African economies

Do you keep up with the continent’s economies? Take our quiz and find out how much you know about African economies.

Unicef health consultant Hadiza Waya immunises a child during a vaccination campaign against polio at Hotoro-Kudu, Nassarawa district of Kano in northwest Nigeria on April 22, 2017. PHOTO: AFP/ Pius Utomi Ekpei

Info Finder quiz: health in Africa

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, we should be more health-conscious. Take our quiz and find out how much you know about health in Africa....

Info Finder

Elections & political parties

What was the voter turnout during South Africa’s last national election?
See answer Hide answer

During the 2019 national election, South Africa recorded a voter turnout of 66%, a decrease from 73.5% in 2014.

More: South Africa’s 2019 election in numbers

Source

Electoral Commission of South Africa

#YouAsked

covid-19

Does heat kill the new coronavirus?
See answer Hide answer

The World Health Organization has warned that neither taking a hot bath nor exposing yourself to sunshine or temperatures higher than 25°C will prevent Covid-19. Using a hand dryer also doesn’t kill the virus.

More: Hot baths, hot hand dryers and other heat will NOT kill coronavirus

Source

World Health Organization

#YouAsked

covid-19

Is the new coronavirus airborne?
See answer Hide answer

The new coronavirus spreads through droplets, which are produced when someone sneezes, coughs or talks. If you are close to someone when this happens, you could breathe in the virus.

According to the World Health Organization, “studies to date suggest that the virus that causes Covid-19 is…

Source

World Health Organization

economy

What is South Africa’s GDP per capita?
See answer Hide answer

The country's GDP per capita (nominal gross domestic product divided by the mid-year population) was US$6,001 in 2019.

Related: Still misleading to say South Africa’s GDP has grown ‘three fold’ since 1994

Source

World Bank

Elections & political parties

#FeaturedSource

Since its first democratic election on 27 April 1994, South Africa has had another five national elections: in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.
More: South Africa’s 2019 election in numbers

Since its first democratic election on 27 April 1994, South Africa has had another five national elections: in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.

More: South Africa’s 2019 election in numbers

Source

Electoral Commission of South Africa

26 February 2019

#YouAsked

Welfare & population

Ghana’s projected population for 2020 stood at 30.96 million.

Source

Ghana Statistical Service

28 July 2020

Featured Spot Checks

How do Nigeria and Saudi Arabia compare for poverty and unemployment?

South Africa’s economy contracts by 51% in the second quarter of 2020? Not so fast

Disregard viral red circle eye test on WhatsApp, visit an eye doctor

Did Nigeria’s education minister announce schools will open on 7 September 2020? No, video old and doctored

No jobs, learnerships or bursaries here – Facebook page a long-running scam

View All

No, quokkas don’t throw babies at predators, but won’t win ‘Best Mom’ award

No, elephants don’t think people are ‘cute’ – in the wild they see us as a threat

N20,000 Covid-19 relief fund for one million Nigeria youth? Beware of scam

Beware false cancer cures from ‘Dr Gupta’ on Facebook

HOAX-ALERT: Eating eggs & bananas together won’t kill you

View All

How do Nigeria and Saudi Arabia compare for poverty and unemployment?

South Africa’s economy contracts by 51% in the second quarter of 2020? Not so fast

Disregard viral red circle eye test on WhatsApp, visit an eye doctor

Did Nigeria’s education minister announce schools will open on 7 September 2020? No, video old and doctored

No jobs, learnerships or bursaries here – Facebook page a long-running scam

View All

Podcasts

Episode 15 #KeepTheFactsGoing: Depo-Provera and HIV

How to verify breaking news during crisis (Radio One 103.5FM Lagos)

Episode 14 #KeepTheFactsGoing: Myths about 5G technology

View All

We need your help to fight misinformation

Donate

Promise Tracker

They campaigned and promised to change your life for the better. You voted for them. But have they kept their word? We have picked out 10 key promises made by governments in Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya and are tracking progress on them.

ANC Tracker
APC Tracker
Jubilee Party Tracker

ANC Tracker

The African National Congress (ANC) has been in power since 1994. In 2019, it faced South African voters for the sixth time. But what is the status of promises it has made to voters in the last 10 years?

APC Tracker

Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress is up for re-election in 2019. As it makes its case to voters, how has it performed on some of the main promises it made ahead of its 2015 win? EDITOR'S NOTE: These pledges are collated from the party’s manifesto and its covenant with Nigerians. The latter document was subject to much debate after the party sought to disavow it. The APC did walk back promises for its first 100 days in office. Other publications have collated more promises. Also, the president’s first term in office ends officially on 29 May 2019 when he’d have spent four years in office.

Jubilee Party Tracker

Kenya’s Jubilee Party has been in office since 2013, and last year won re-election. But has it delivered on the promises it made ahead of those two elections? We tracked key ones.

Try Our Promise Tracker

Africa Check sorts fact from fiction

Ousted Nairobi governor wrong to say Kenya president has borrowed ‘over KSh8 trillion in eight years’

ANC Youth League promotes debunked steam and pH ‘cures’ for Covid-19

‘Almost 100%’ of restaurant workers in South Africa are foreign? Official data disproves finance minister Mboweni’s claim

No full South African matric rewrite due to paper leaks, varsity acceptance unchanged

Featured

Info Finder

Popular topics

What was the voter turnout during South Africa’s last national election? See answer Hide answer

Does heat kill the new coronavirus? See answer Hide answer

Is the new coronavirus airborne? See answer Hide answer

What is South Africa’s GDP per capita? See answer Hide answer

Since its first democratic election on 27 April 1994, South Africa has had another five national elections: in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.More: South Africa’s 2019 election in numbers

Ghana’s projected population for 2020 stood at 30.96 million.

Featured Spot Checks

Podcasts

Episode 15 #KeepTheFactsGoing: Depo-Provera and HIV

How to verify breaking news during crisis (Radio One 103.5FM Lagos)

Episode 14 #KeepTheFactsGoing: Myths about 5G technology

We need your help to fight misinformation

Promise Tracker

ANC Tracker

APC Tracker

Jubilee Party Tracker

Can't find what you are looking for?

What was the voter turnout during South Africa’s last national election?
See answer Hide answer

Does heat kill the new coronavirus?
See answer Hide answer

Is the new coronavirus airborne?
See answer Hide answer

What is South Africa’s GDP per capita?
See answer Hide answer

Since its first democratic election on 27 April 1994, South Africa has had another five national elections: in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.
More: South Africa’s 2019 election in numbers