Factcheckzw

23/01/2025

As the debate on 2030 rages on, it is important to look at the role of Parliament. One of the legislature’s constitutional roles is ‘to amend this Constitution in accordance with section 328’. Parliament can amend the constitution as long as it is done according to the set procedures.

CLAIM: Parliament cannot in terms of the constitution and the law legally postpone elections SOURCE: News Hawks VERDICT: Misleading News Hawks, an online local media house, posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) on 14 January 2025 claiming that the Parliament of Zimbabwe cannot legally postpone el...

17/01/2025

Umbiko othi inhlawulo yezibhedlela ikhuphukile kweleZimbabwe unamanga. Umbiko lo omemethekayo ngowesimemezelo sakudala ngo Zibandlela ka2020. Ngesikhathi leso, imbadalo yayibekwe ngamadola akuleli kukanti inhlawulo esikhona okwamanje ngeyamadola eMelika. Imbadalo ehlawulwa ezibhedlela okwakhathesi ngamadola alitshumi lambili eMelika (US$12) ebadaleni lamadola ayisithupha (US$6) ebantwaneni.

UMBIKO: Inhlawulo ezibhedlela zeZimbabwe isikhuphukile. UVELA NGAPHI: Umbiko omemetheka ku WhatsApp. ISINQUMO: Ngamanga Umbiko omemetheke kuWhatsApp kumalanga asanda kudlula uthi inhlawulo yezibhedlela zeZimbabwe isikhuphukile. Lumbiko uthi isimemezelo lesi senziwa ngunobhala omkhulu (permanent secr...

16/01/2025

The message circulating on WhatsApp that Zimbabwe has hiked hospital fees is false and misleading. It is an old message from 2020. Hospital fees remain unchanged as of 2022.
The message cites Mahomva as the current Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, yet she no longer holds that position. Mahomva held the position from 2019 to 2020. Dr Aspect Maunganidze is now the current Health Secretary.

CLAIM: Hospital fees go up in Zimbabwe SOURCE: Message circulating on WhatsApp VERDICT: Misleading In a WhatsApp message circulated during the first and second week of January 2025, the writer, citing a statement attributed to former Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary, Dr Agnes Mahomva, claim...

09/01/2025

There is currently no evidence that the ‘Zimbabwean Government has announced the addition of a new public holiday, Munhumutapa Day, which will be celebrated on the 15th of September 2025’. It is, however, false that, ‘This significant announcement was made in terms of Section 2(1) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act [Chapter 10:21], through General Notice 954 of 2024’. General Notice 094 of 2024 makes no mention of Munhumutapa Day as part of public holidays in 2025. Those making the claims are using a cropped image that does not indicate where it was cropped from. However, it definitely is not from General Notice 954 of 2024.

CLAIM: The Zimbabwean Government has announced the addition of a new public holiday, Munhumutapa Day, which will be celebrated on the 15th of September 2025. This significant announcement was made in terms of Section 2(1) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act [Chapter 10:21], throug...

08/01/2025

There has not been COVID-19 cases recorded at Morningside Mediclinic in South Africa. The article headlined Covid-19 cases rise to 90 at Morningside Mediclinic is an old one from 2020. The original article has been screenshot and edited in such a way that it does not show the original date of publication. Instead, it only shows the date on which the article was accessed.
Misleading recycled content
Here are some tips to help readers protect themselves from old articles recycled as current to mislead:
Check the Publication Date:
* Look for the date stamp: Most reputable news sources clearly display the date of publication.
* Be wary of vague dates: If only the year is given, it could be an older article.
Cross-Reference Information:
* Search for the same information from multiple sources: If the story is current, other reputable news outlets will likely be reporting on it.
* Compare publication dates: If other sources have more recent coverage, it suggests the original article may be outdated.
Look for Signs of Recycling:
* Check for inconsistencies: Pay attention to details that might indicate an older article, such as outdated information, missing context, or a lack of updates.
* Be wary of sensationalised headlines: Clickbait headlines often aim to grab attention rather than provide accurate information.
Use Online Tools:
* Reverse image search: If the article includes images, use Google Images or TinEye to see if they've been used elsewhere and when.
* Fact-checking websites: Utilise resources like FactCheckZW, Africa Check or ZimFact to verify information and identify potential misinformation.
Be Critical and Skeptical:
* Don't take everything at face value: Always question the information you encounter, especially if it seems outlandish or emotionally charged.
* Consider the potential motives: Why might someone want to recycle an old article? Are they trying to spread misinformation, manipulate public opinion, or simply drive traffic to their website?

02/01/2025

Churches in Zimbabwe are mandated to pay taxes from all revenue it generates with the exception of tithes, offerings and donations. Although ZIMRA recently released a circular on this, it is not a new requirement but has been in place for almost 10 years now.
While it remains unclear whether all churches have been tax-compliant, the taxing of churches' income from trade and investments was set to begin in January 2016, following the signing into law of the Finance Act by then-President Robert Mugabe in November 2015. The new law amended the Income Tax Act to include churches in the definition of "company" or "trust". Moreover, churches are also required to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) on certain goods and services they purchase or consume.

CLAIM: ZIMRA is expecting churches to pay taxes from the sale of goods such as anointing oil, and t-shirts among others which are being produced as part of fundraising activities. SOURCE: NewZimbabwe.com VERDICT: True In an article headlined: ‘ZIMRA cracks whip on churches, taxes anointing oil, me...

14/12/2024

The claim in various reports and social media posts that ‘Zimbabwe has introduced Sophia, its first humanoid robot at the University of Zimbabwe’ is false and misleading. Sophia the robot is not Zimbabwe's first humanoid robot or Zimbabwe's anything. She was created by Hanson Robotics in 2016. Her visit to Zimbabwe was part of her role as the UNDP Innovation Ambassador.
Sophia joined then Twitter in 2017 and has over 126,000 followers.

CLAIM: Zimbabwe has introduced Sophia, its first humanoid robot at the University of Zimbabwe SOURCE: Media Reports VERDICT: False The hype on ‘Zimbabwe’s first humanoid robot’ has been loud and wide.  It has been lauded as signaling Zimbabwe’s ‘very bright’ future in Artificial Intelli...

26/11/2024

Oops!!!!
The claims that there is a product recall of a defective batch of the YAZ plus contraceptive pill are true. Both South African and Zimbabwean health regulatory associations have released statements to that effect. This batch of Yaz Plus birth control pills has the placebo "sugar" pills and hormone-containing pills switched. Instead of the usual 24 hormone tablets and 4 placebos, some packages have been found to contain 24 placebos and only 4 hormone pills.
# YAZ plus contraceptive pill Batch number: WEW96J expiring in March 2026 is defective
# The placebo and hormone containing pills have been switched
# Consumers need to return these to their nearest pharmacy.

18/11/2024

The claim: “In Zimbabwe, abortion is illegal except under specific circumstances, such as cases involving r**e, in**st, threats to the mother’s health or if the child may be born with defects. Abortion is also punishable by up to five years in prison,” has been rated as true. The Termination of Pregnancy Act [Chapter 15:10] outlaws abortion except under circumstances highlighted in the NewZimbabwe.com article. Furthermore, abortion, according to the same Act and the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act can attract a penalty of a fine not exceeding level ten to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or both such fine and such imprisonment.

https://factcheckzw.org/true-abortion-in-zimbabwe-only-legal-in-specific-cases/

CLAIM:  In Zimbabwe, abortion is illegal except under specific circumstances, such as cases involving r**e, in**st, threats to the mother’s health or if the child may be born with defects. Abortion is also punishable by up to five years in prison. SOURCE:  NewZimbabwe.com VERDICT: True NewZimbab...

13/11/2024

Contrary to Chinamasa's claim that ‘over the past five years, Zimbabwe’s economy has grown at an average rate of 3-6%’, it has gone to minus figures twice in this period. The past three years have seen positive growth, though.
It has been at -6.3% in 2019; -7.8% in 2020; 8.5% in 2021; 6.1% in 2022 and 5.3% in 2023. For 2024, it is projected to be 2%. These figures do not give an average rate of 3-6%. It is an average of 1.16% over the 5 year period.

CLAIM:Over the past five years, Zimbabwe’s economy has grown at an average rate of 3-6% SOURCE: Patrick Chinamasa, ZANU-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs VERDICT: False This is the second claim made by ZANU-PF secretary for legal affairs, Patrick Chinamasa. The claim is one of 31 he made on an X post...

08/11/2024

Farai Taruvinga Insiza North parliamentary seat:
The claim ‘A Member of Parliament (MP) is only allowed to miss 21 consecutive sittings, thereafter, half of the House is allowed to vote and declare a seat vacant,’ has been rated as misleading. While section 129(f) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe clearly states that should a legislator miss 21 successive meetings without leave from the Speaker or President of the Senate, either the National Assembly or the Senate resolves by a vote of at least one-half of its total membership that the seat should become vacant’, in the case of Taruvinga, it is unclear whether he has leave from the Speaker. Even without leave, his co parliamentarians could still resolve to not declare his seat vacant.

CLAIM: A Member of Parliament (MP) is only allowed to miss 21 consecutive sittings, thereafter, half of the House is allowed to vote and declare a seat vacant. SOURCE: Newzimbabwe.com VERDICT: Misleading NewZimbabwe.com, an online publication, on November 6, 2024, in an article headlined, Insiza con...

06/11/2024

Maths Gymnastics: The claim that ‘Growth in the mining sector output from US$3-4 billion six years ago to an annual output of US$14 billion’ is false.

When the initial target of US$12 billion in the mining sector was set out in 2019, it was for export earnings.

Under the US$12 billion mining roadmap, gold was expected to contribute US$4 billion, platinum US$3 billion while chrome, iron, steel diamonds and coal contribution was set at US$1 billion. Lithium was expected to contribute US$500 million while other minerals were targeted at US$1,5 billion. This has not been achieved. Instead, the government changed this target to include US$5,2 billion investment between 2018 and 2023; US$5,4 billion export earnings plus local consumption. So, no, the mining sector annual output has not reached $14 billion as claimed.

CLAIM: Growth in the mining sector output from US$3-4 billion six years ago to an annual output of US$14 billion. SOURCE: Patrick Chinamasa, ZANU PF secretary for Legal Affairs VERDICT: False ZANU-PF’s legal affairs secretary, Patrick Chinamasa, recently shared a list of his party’s ‘achieve....

01/11/2024

The claim that ‘Agriculture, another vital sector, has also witnessed noticeable growth, surpassing pre-land reform productions in wheat and to***co farming’ is true. In 2023, Zimbabwe recorded an all time high yield in both to***co and wheat production, surpassing pre-land reform production.

CLAIM: Agriculture, another vital sector, has also witnessed noticeable growth, surpassing pre-land reform productions in wheat and to***co farming. SOURCE: The Chronicle VERDICT: True President Emmerson Mnangagwa addressed the just ended ZANU PF conference Friday, 25th October. Following his sp.....

28/10/2024

The claim that ‘2,500 women die giving birth each year’ has been rated false. The maternal mortality rate has gone down. The latest statistics have 1,589 deaths, not 2,500.
The rest of the claim is a bit more complicated. Are women dying as a result of the hospital having only one theatre? Research shows that it is more nuanced than that. While having only one theatre is a challenge in carrying out emergency c-sections, most of the maternal deaths are not as a result of only not having theatres. It’s a combination of also not having enough personnel, blood or drugs. Addressing obstetric haemorrhage would reduce deaths from direct causes by a third while addressing abortion and hypertensive diseases would reduce deaths due to direct-causes by four-fifths.

CLAIM: 2,500 women die giving birth each year. SOURCE: Hopewell Chin’ono VERDICT: False Despite alarming claims circulating on social media, the true picture of Zimbabwe’s maternal mortality crisis is far more complex. The claim around maternity theatres, ‘Zimbabwe’s biggest hospital has.....

23/10/2024

Did you know? Hurricanes, tropical storms or cyclones names must be:
•Short in character length
•Easy to pronounce
•Appropriate significance in different languages
•Uniqueness – same names cannot be used in other regions.

Countries choose names for use in their respective regions. For the 2024-25 season Zimbabwe has two names on the list - Chipo and Yemurai. The others on the list are from countries including Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Comoros and Mozambique.

It’s almost cyclone season in Southern Africa. The South West Indian Ocean cyclone season starts around November. The 2023-24 season started on 15 November 2023 and ended on 30 April 2025, although in Mauritius and Seychelles it stretched to 15 May 2024. Most of the tropical and subtropical cyclon...

17/10/2024

World Food Programme cash assistance link is a scam. While the WFP does give cash assistance to intended beneficiaries, these are not randomly selected. The link is an example of phishing scams where legitimate organisations are cloned to defraud people.

How to Protect Yourself from Phishing Attacks
To protect yourself from phishing attacks, follow these tips:
Hover Over the Link:
Don't Click: Before clicking on a link, hover your mouse pointer over it.
Check the URL: The actual web address will appear at the bottom of your browser window.
Inspect the URL:
Look for Red Flags: Be wary of URLs that:
Are unusually long or complex.
Contain typos or grammatical errors.
Have unusual domain extensions (e.g., .###, .ru).
Use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Verify the Domain: Make sure the domain name matches the expected website. For example, if you're expecting a link from your bank, the URL should start with the bank's official website.
Check for HTTPS:
Secure Connections: Look for "https" at the beginning of the URL. The "s" indicates a secure connection using SSL/TLS encryption, which helps protect your data.

CLAIM: World Food Programme – Provide cash assistance. Through the questionnaire, you will have a chance to get $800.00 . SOURCE: Online VERDICT: False, scam A message claiming that the World Food Programme is providing cash assistance and those who respond to a questionnaire stand a chance of win...

15/10/2024

Tuku’s Grave: More Solid Than ZimEye’s Claim. Clickbait, a deceptive practice used to attract clicks to online content, can pose several risks.
Clickbait often leads to articles that are sensationalised, exaggerated, or outright false. This can contribute to the spread of misinformation and disinformation, which can have serious consequences.
When people are exposed to constant clickbait, they may become more skeptical of all online content, even from reputable sources.

CLAIM: … Tuku’s grave remains a pile of dust without a good tombstone SOURCE: ZimEye VERDICT: False The Tuku family ‘saga’ has been on centre stage for a while in Zimbabwe and almost everyone has something to say. In this time, the late musician, Oliver Mtukudzi’s widow, Daisy received a....

10/10/2024

Breast cancer is, indeed, the second most common cancer affecting women in Zimbabwe after cervical cancer and accounted for 13 percent of all cancers affecting women in 2019. By 2023, it accounted for 16.1%. Awareness is needed to reduce mortality and address the 3 delays - the delay in seeking advice because of fear and ignorance of breast cancer, and the crippling costs of treatment; the delay caused by nurses who do not have the basic knowledge and skills to recognise and refer suspicious lumps, and lastly, a staggering shortage of specialist staff and equipment, delaying diagnosis and treatment further still.

3 delays affecting Zimbabwean women with breast cancer CLAIM: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women after cervical cancer and accounts for 13 percent of all cancers affecting women. SOURCE: The Herald VERDICT: True Imagine a 40 year old Zimbabwean woman, in Malipati villag....