Three claims about alcohol consumption in South Africa
Source: South African health minister Zweli Mkhize (August 2020)
Two correct, one incorrect
South Africa has the fifth-highest Covid-19 infection rate in the world.
Source: The New York Times (August 2020)
South Africa has the fifth-highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Filters can “eat any form of virus including coronavirus” on aeroplanes.
Source: Fikile Mbalula, South Africa’s transport minister (29 June 2020)
High efficiency particulate air filters capture virtually all viruses and bacteria from the air in plane cabins. But they can’t capture large infected particles or prevent transmission caused by close contact.
Two claims about South Africa’s 2019/20 crime statistics
Source: Independent Online (August 2020)
Both misleading
The World Health Organization “unequivocally” declared that South Africa was not ready to lift the national Covid-19 lockdown.
Source: Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, Economic Freedom Fighters member of parliament (30 June 2020)
There is no evidence of the WHO making this statement. The organisation says it only provides guidance but governments have to make their own decisions.
South Africa’s tourism industry employs 7.5 million people.
Source: Kevin Pietersen (July 2020)
Tourism directly employed 739,657 people in 2018.
The deaths of at least 10 South African children between the ages of 10 and 19 from Covid-19 “completely disproves the notion that young people and children are less susceptible to contracting the virus”.
Source: Political party the Economic Freedom Fighters (2 July 2020)
The number of deaths from the disease within a population group does not prove whether or not children are susceptible to Covid-19. Experts recommend using the infection incidence rate.
Two claims about South Africa’s ability to manufacture and develop vaccines.
Source: South African president Cyril Ramaphosa (12 July 2020)
One correct, one mostly correct.
Out of every R1 paid in taxes, 58 cents goes towards paying the salaries of public servants
Source: Leon Schreiber, Democratic Alliance shadow minister for public service and administration (June 2020)
51.4% of total tax revenue goes to public servant salaries, or 51.4 cents out of every R1 in tax.
As many as “51% of South African women have experienced violence at the hands of someone with whom they are in a relationship”.
Source: South African president Cyril Ramaphosa (13 June 2020)
The most recent, nationally representative data, from 2016, shows 26% of South African women reported intimate partner violence in their lifetime.