A coalition of media organisations, supported by the Google News Initiative and led by Africa Check, is working to combat misinformation ahead of the South African elections.
The coalition is working together to fact-check claims made by political parties, provide voters with reliable, non-partisan information on key issues, and equip the public with the skills they need to identify election misinformation.
You can read the most recent work published by the coalition below.
Latest Articles
How not to be duped! And PS, people over 60 don’t automatically get special votes
Has the IEC has permitted people 60 and older to vote before the 29 May polls by applying for a special vote?
Fact Check – was former president Jacob Zuma targeted in a recent car accident?
On 28 March 2024, the car in which former president Jacob Zuma was travelling in KwaZulu-Natal was involved in an accident. Or was it?
Fact check — Is it likely the Western Cape could become an independent state?
Is the promise that the Western Cape could secede from the rest of South Africa actually based on fact?
Fact-Check — Did the EFF’s Ekurhuleni finance head achieve a clean audit?
In the City of Ekurhuleni, the party now claims that under their watch the city received a clean audit.
Doctored video does not show Trump backing new South African party
A video circulating on social media purports to show former US president Donald Trump endorsing South Africa’s newly launched MK party.
Fact Check — Can Zuma stand for election if he has a criminal record?
Given that former president Jacob Zuma has a criminal record, can he stand for the MK Party in the 2024 elections?
Posts falsely claim photo shows unenclosed toilets installed by ruling ANC in SA
An image shows an unenclosed toilet on the side of a road in an informal settlement, purportedly part of a failed ANC project.
Fact check — Did Jacob Zuma end load shedding?
Former president Jacob Zuma reportedly told a rally for the new MK party in KZN in late February that load shedding was a thing of the past.
Fact-check — Is Jacob Zuma’s MK now the biggest party in South Africa?
Two days after its launch, former president Jacob Zuma’s MK party claimed on Facebook that it had already attracted one million members.
Fact-Check — If you don’t vote, is your vote automatically assigned to the ANC?
Voting is one of the few things you can do personally to contribute to the health of democracy. But if you don’t, does your vote end up reco
Fearmongering posts make false claims about martial law in South Africa
A post making the rounds claims that South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing arrest and that martial law has been declared.
SA police images show 2022 bust, not opposition making fake IDs
A post alleges that the EFF is creating fraudulent identity documents for undocumented migrants.
Resources from coalition partners
Digital Investigation Techniques | AFP Fact Check
Multilingual open courses for journalists and journalism students from leading global news agency AFP, supported by the Google News Initiative.
How to verify information online | AFP Fact Check
This playlist provides quick tutorials in online tools from AFP journalists.
Democracy and constitutionalism: civic education conference report & keywords | SECTION27
This report underscores civic education's role as South Africa prepares for the 2024 elections.
2024 General elections: why vote? | SECTION27
A breakdown of what Section 19 of the Constitution says and why your vote matters.
Explainer — how to vote using the new three-ballot system | Daily Maverick
For the first time, millions of South Africans will vote on three ballot papers in the upcoming national and provincial elections. Here’s how the new system will work.
A complete guide to voting in the 2024 South African general elections | Daily Maverick
South Africans will be voting for new national and provincial governments in May 2024. Do you know where, when and how to vote? We've got you covered.
So you’ve registered to vote, now what? | Daily Maverick
This is a chance for voters like you to find out exactly where various parties stand on key issues and then make an informed decision on where to place their mark.
