Kate Wilkinson

Deputy chief editor

Kate Wilkinson joined Africa Check as a researcher in July 2013. Her main research areas include education, immigration, crime and viral social media hoaxes. In 2018, she discovered an error in the South African police service’s annual crime statistics, which led to an official revision. She leads the organisation’s media work, with regular appearance on local and international television and radio. Her work also involves training African journalists on verification and research techniques. In 2017, she developed a programme which taught school children how to decipher fact from fiction on social media. The Mail and Guardian named her one of its Top 200 Young South Africans in 2013.

Latest fact-checks

crime

Femicide

murder

Five facts: Femicide in South Africa

The murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana has led to protest against femicide in South Africa. We answer five questions about the murder of women.

Tito Mboweni being sworn in as minister of finance in October 2018 while President Cyril Ramaphosa looks on. Photo: GCIS

civil servant spend

government

Do South Africa’s civil servants get R8 out of every R10 the government spends?

Finance minister Tito Mboweni said South Africa should make sure it does not “have a situation where R8 out of every R10 goes to salaries and wages in the public sector”.TimesLive and the Citizen reported that this was currently the case.State employee compensation made up 35.2% (R3.52 per R10) ...

suicide rate

Teen suicide

Teen suicide in South Africa: getting the facts right helps combat the problem

The Psychiatry Management Group said almost one in 10 teen deaths in South Africa was a result of suicide, and up to 20% of high school pupils had tried to take their own lives.Data from a 2012 study showed one in 20 deaths of people aged 10 to 19 were due to suicide.A 2011 survey estimated that 17....

electricity

Eskom

Eskom and the viral infographic: do the numbers add up?

CORRECTION: The fact-check of the "average salary" claim was updated to use the total salary bill before certain costs were deducted. This did not change the verdict.Worker protests over pay at South Africa’s power utility have led to lights being turned off across the country. The utility, Eskom,...

Latest facts

Education

How many teachers are there in South African schools?

Source

Department of Basic Education: School Realities 2022

Short answer

How many teachers are there in South African schools?

In 2022, there were 450,993 teachers in South African schools. (Note: These numbers exclude early childhood development centres and special schools.) ...

Back Full answer

Education

How many public and independent schools are there in South Africa?

Source

Department of Basic Education: School Realities 2022

Short answer

How many public and independent schools are there in South Africa?

In 2022, there were 24,871 public and independent schools in South Africa. (Note: These numbers exclude early childhood development centres and special schools.) ...

Back Full answer

Education

How many pupils are there in South African schools?

Source

Department of Basic Education: School Realities 2022

Short answer

How many pupils are there in South African schools?

In 2022, there were 13,419,971 learners in ordinary public and independent schools in South Africa. (Note: This number excludes early childhood development centres and special schools.) ...

Back Full answer

#YouAsked

Economy

Which countries have the largest economies in Africa?

Source

IMF: World Economic Outlook (2023)

Short answer

Which countries have the largest economies in Africa?

Nigeria and Egypt lead as Africa's largest economies, each with a GDP of $477 billion, followed by South Africa with a GDP of $406 billion in 2022. ...

Back Full answer

Meet our team

View All

Noko Makgato

Executive director

Alphonce Shiundu

Kenya editor

David Ajikobi

Nigeria editor

Lee Mwiti

Chief editor

Cayley Clifford

Deputy chief editor

Motunrayo Joel

Nigeria deputy editor/health researcher

Valdez Onanina

Chief editor

Dancan Nanyanga Bwire

Researcher

Keegan Leech

Researcher

Grace Wairimu Gichuhi

Researcher

Allwell Okpi

Researcher & community manager

Lwandle Mthombeni

Finance manager

Carina van Wyk

Head of education & training

Catherine Adeniyi

Junior researcher

Dieynaba Thiombane

Researcher

Kirsten Cosser

Researcher

Laura Kapelari

Head of digital communication

Hlalani Gumpo

Impact manager

Thipe Maelane

Outreach coordinator

Mary Mbiti

Impact intern

Tess Wandia

Senior researcher

Winnie Theletsane

Copy editor

Dudu Mkhize

Head of outreach

Muktar Balogun

Intern

Semilore Adelola

Editorial intern

Misiwe Zulu

Finance officer

Amobi Denzel Ifeanyichukwu

Editorial intern

Geruza Bumba

Researcher

Paul John Vos

TRi Facts managing executive

Makinia Juma Sylvia

Senior researcher

Mmabatho Koena

Project coordinator

Tshiamo Mononyane

Digital communication assistant

Bokamoso Matsawane

Intern

Coumba Sylla

Deputy editor in chief

Souleymane Diassy

Researcher and community manager

Azil Momar Lô

Researcher

Taryn Khourie

Data & project researcher

Aretha Mashotana

Head of partnership and engagement.

Ester Levinrad

Copy editor

Sarah Lubala-Smit

Info Finder & media literacy editor

Khumo Motaung

Marketing assistant

Kate Wilkinson

Latest fact-checks

Latest facts

How many teachers are there in South African schools?

How many public and independent schools are there in South Africa?

How many pupils are there in South African schools?

Which countries have the largest economies in Africa?

Meet our team

Noko Makgato

Alphonce Shiundu

David Ajikobi

Lee Mwiti

Cayley Clifford

Motunrayo Joel

Valdez Onanina

Dancan Nanyanga Bwire

Keegan Leech

Grace Wairimu Gichuhi

Allwell Okpi

Lwandle Mthombeni

Carina van Wyk

Catherine Adeniyi

Dieynaba Thiombane

Kirsten Cosser

Laura Kapelari

Hlalani Gumpo

Thipe Maelane

Mary Mbiti

Tess Wandia

Winnie Theletsane

Dudu Mkhize

Muktar Balogun

Semilore Adelola

Misiwe Zulu

Amobi Denzel Ifeanyichukwu

Geruza Bumba

Paul John Vos

Makinia Juma Sylvia

Mmabatho Koena

Tshiamo Mononyane

Bokamoso Matsawane

Coumba Sylla

Souleymane Diassy

Azil Momar Lô

Taryn Khourie

Aretha Mashotana

Ester Levinrad

Sarah Lubala-Smit

Khumo Motaung

For reading our fact-checks!