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Every change, in the open

We never quietly change a published verdict.

Log checked 1 November 2026

Log checked 1 November 2026

What have we corrected?

When a verdict changes, it is listed here with the date and the reason.

  1. Verifiedchanged toUnproven

    Changed 27 October 2026

    Buffalo City's 2024-25 annual report says the city created 4,450 work opportunities. These came through public employment programmes such as the EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme). This was above its target of 3,148. In 2023-24 it reported 3,927 against a target of 5,617. →

    The 4,450 figure comes only from the city's own annual report, and the Auditor-General did not audit it. A council's own unaudited figure is now rated Unproven in every metro.

  2. Verifiedchanged toUnproven

    Changed 27 October 2026

    Buffalo City's 2024-25 annual report says the city's own police service 'has not yet been established'. But the council adopted a plan for a metro police in 2011. In 2012 it applied to the provincial safety MEC. This is the person in the province's cabinet who is in charge of safety. In 2015, the Daily Dispatch wrote about the plan and the application. →

    Only the city's own 2024-25 annual report says its police service has not been set up. No one outside the city has confirmed this since 2015. A council's own unchecked statement is now rated Unproven in every metro.

  3. Unprovenchanged toVerified

    Changed 27 October 2026

    Ekurhuleni's 2024-25 annual report says the City built 130 subsidised houses that year. Its target of 537, set the year before, was lowered to 115 for 2024-25. It delivered no serviced stands (plots of land with basic services already in place). This was after it cut its target of 206 to zero. →

    The Auditor-General's audit report shows it checked the part of the City's 2024-25 report that holds the housing figures. It found no material problems. We rate this check the same way in every metro.

  4. Verifiedchanged toUnproven

    Changed 27 October 2026

    Ekurhuleni's 2024-25 annual report says the City built 130 subsidised houses that year. Its target of 537, set the year before, was lowered to 115 for 2024-25. It delivered no serviced stands (plots of land with basic services already in place). This was after it cut its target of 206 to zero. →

    The housing figures come only from the City's annual report, in the version tabled before the audit. A council's own unaudited figure is now rated Unproven in every metro.

  5. Verifiedchanged toUnproven

    Changed 27 October 2026

    Ekurhuleni's 2024-25 annual report shows the metro police department had 3,658 staff for 4,282 posts at the end of the year. That left 624 posts (15%) empty. It also had 37 fewer staff than a year before. →

    The staffing figures come only from the City's annual report, in the version tabled before the audit. A council's own figure that no one outside the council has checked is now rated Unproven in every metro.

  6. Verifiedchanged toMisleading

    Changed 27 October 2026

    Mayor Dada Morero (ANC) gave his State of the City Address. In it, he spoke about Stats SA's labour survey for the first quarter of 2026. He said it showed Johannesburg gained 23,000 jobs in net terms (jobs gained minus jobs lost). He said it also showed that Johannesburg's unemployment rate rose from 33.8% to 34.7%. →

    Stats SA's figures match. But Stats SA's own test says the 23,000 rise is too small to be sure it is real. We now rate any claim that uses such a change as proof of growth or decline as Misleading, for every party.

  7. Verifiedchanged toMisleading

    Changed 27 October 2026

    Helen Zille, the DA's candidate for Johannesburg mayor, spoke at the launch of her campaign. She said Johannesburg had lost 49,000 jobs in the past three months, while Cape Town gained 69,000. The Mail & Guardian reported this. →

    Stats SA's figures match. But Stats SA's own test says neither three-month change is big enough to be sure it is real. We now rate any claim that uses such a change as proof of growth or decline as Misleading, for every party.

  8. Verifiedchanged toUnproven

    Changed 27 October 2026

    Mangaung reported creating 1,589 short-term work opportunities in 2024-25. These came through public employment programmes such as the EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme). This was above its target of 1,000. The Auditor-General did not audit (check) this figure. →

    The 1,589 figure comes only from the metro's own annual report, and the Auditor-General did not audit it. A council's own unaudited figure is now rated Unproven in every metro.

What counts as a correction?

Any change that changes what a claim means.

We do not log or show

  • Small fixesFixes to spelling, typing or layout that do not change the meaning.

  • Who told usWe never show who reported a mistake, on any page of the site.

We log

  • Every verdict changeEach one shows the old and new verdict, the date and the reason.

  • Changes in meaningNew wording, reason or source that changes what a claim says.

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