Schools promised by Zuma have not been built
In his State of the Nation address earlier this year, South Africa’s president, Jacob Zuma, promised that a total of 98 new schools would be completed by the end of March 2013. The promise was false.
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Claim that 58 sexual offences courts ready in SA by September looks untrue
The South African government’s claim that it will establish 58 dedicated sexual offences courts, to be fully operational by September this year, appears to be untrue. No budget has been announced and there appears to be no clear framework for how the courts will operate.
How many shark attacks? BBC bites off more than it can chew
The BBC has reported that Cape Town has committed “millions of US dollars” to test the “world’s first environmentally friendly barrier shark net”, following five shark attacks in the Western Cape province over the past year. The report was wrong.
Is the DA’s membership mostly ‘black’? The claim is unproven
The leader of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille, has claimed that most of the party’s membership is “black”. But the DA’s membership records are secret and the evidence is anecdotal.
Claim that 94% in SA have access to safe drinking water…doesn’t hold water
Do more than 94% of South Africans really have access to clean and safe drinking water? Water and Environment minister Edna Molewa has said they do. The claim is false.
SA police face R14 billion in civil lawsuits, not R7 billion as reported
South Africa’s police minister told parliament last week that civil damages claims totalling R7.1 billion were laid against the South African Police Service in the 2011 to 2012 financial year. In fact the closing balance of civil claims in March 2012 was more than twice that.
Claim that SA one of only twelve countries with safe tap water is false
South Africa, a recent press release said, is “one of only twelve countries in the world where it is safe to drink…tap water” and the “quality of South African tap water is ranked third best overall”. The claim was widely reported. It is not true.
Conviction rates an unreliable benchmark of NPA success
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority routinely boasts remarkably high conviction rates. It uses them to reject criticism of its performance. But as it only prosecutes cases it is likely to win, they are unreliable measures of success in tackling crime.
Report that SA’s Kruger park could lose 1000 rhinos is alarmist
The number of rhinos being poached each year in South Africa is rising worryingly. But the reports this weekend that Kruger National Park could lose 1,000 rhino in 2013 are alarmist. The facts show a much lower trend.
Claim that SA soldiers were on training mission is misleading
President Jacob Zuma’s suggestion that the South African soldiers killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) were on nothing but a training mission is misleading. It was revealed in 2011 that SANDF soldiers were also in Bangui to protect the CAR president.