Africa Check

Is Cape Town South Africa's second most dangerous city? Here's what the numbers show

There’s no denying that murder rates in South Africa are high. But two bold claims published by the Guardian still caught our ...
Africa Check

Fact or spin? Fact-checking Nigerian president Tinubu’s Independence Day economics

Marking the country’s 65th Independence Day, Bola Tinubu claimed several economic achievements by his government. We ...
Africa Check

‘Viral video’ does not show late South African ambassador Nathi Mthethwa’s fall from Paris hotel

IN SHORT: A Facebook post claims there is footage of South Africa’s ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, falling to his death from a hotel in Paris, France. But the thumbnail of the supposed video is ...
Africa Check

Fake statement: Kenyan politician Gideon Moi didn’t order Standard media house to go easy on government

IN SHORT: A statement supposedly from Kenyan politician Gideon Moi demanding that media house Standard Group stop criticising the government in its reporting is fake. “With the new understanding ...
Africa Check

Ignore fake newspaper page claiming Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine plans to lose 2026 election

IN SHORT: A viral image appears to show a New Vision newspaper page with a headline claiming that Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, “plans to lose the election”. However, the page is fake ...
Africa Check

‘Standard’ front pages labelling two prominent Kenyan politicians ‘deadly infection’ and ‘evil opposition’ are fake

IN SHORT: Two viral images appear to show the Standard newspaper calling former deputy presidents Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka a “deadly infection” and an “evil opposition”. However, the ...
Africa Check

Old photo used to claim that Kenya’s former prime minister Raila Odinga is in critical condition in hospital

IN SHORT: A photo of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga on a hospital bed has gone viral on social media in October 2025, with users claiming he is critically ill. However, the photo is from ...
Africa Check

No, WhatsApp still fully encrypted. Ignore old hoax that the government will monitor your messages and calls

IN SHORT: An online message from 2021 has resurfaced in Kenya claiming that all WhatsApp calls will be recorded, social media monitored, and that “devices will connect to the ministry system”. But ...
Africa Check

Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? Eminem video endorsing South African opposition party EFF and bashing the ruling ANC is a deepfake

IN SHORT: A video which has gained popularity on various social media platforms in early 2024 is a doctored version of a 2009 interview in which Eminem made no mention of South African politics. A ...
Africa Check

Why it's wrong to call South Africa - or any country - the world's 'rape capital'

Claims that South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo or even India can lay claim to the unwanted title of "rape capital of the world” have been doing the rounds for well over a decade. In 2000, ...
Africa Check

Are SA whites really being killed 'like flies'? Why Steve Hofmeyr is wrong

Are white Afrikaners really being killed “like flies”? Is a white South African farmer being “slaughtered every five days?” Would the number of whites “killed in SA in black on white violence” fill ...