• A viral reel claims urine has “5,662 ingredients”, including nutrients like magnesium, serotonin and human growth hormone, and promotes “urine therapy” as a cure for everything from stress to serious illness.
• Research shows urine has no proven health benefits. It’s mostly water, salts and waste; any vitamins or minerals are tiny leftovers your body didn’t need.
• Urine is also not sterile. Urologists say urine contains bacteria - drinking it can worsen dehydration and other health issues.
• For vitamins, minerals or hormones, consult a qualified healthcare professional, not influencers promoting unproven “therapies.”

• A viral video claims the Kenyan government will replace paper birth certificates with microchips, showing clips of President Ruto and Bill Gates out of context.

• This is false. The “maisha namba” digital ID system is a modern ID programme being piloted, not a plan to implant chips in babies.

• The Gates snippet is from 2015, discussing health interventions, not Kenya’s ID system.

• This video is part of a long-running conspiracy, mixing out-of-context clips with commentary to push false claims about microchipping and population control.

• A post circulating on Facebook claims South Africa’s social security agency (Sassa) is giving out food parcels, vouchers or cash for November and December 2025 — and encourages users to apply via a link. This is a scam.

• Food parcels can only be applied for in person or via Sassa’s official WhatsApp number: 0600 123 456. Official parcels are worth about R1,200 and include staples like maize meal, rice, beans, canned fish, pasta and cooking oil.

• Scam warning signs include links that aren’t from Sassa’s website or verified social media, vague promises of parcels or cash for anyone, and requests to send private messages for personal info.

Scammers are always looking for ways to trick people — like the recent Facebook post claiming Sassa is giving out food parcels, vouchers, or cash.

These posts can cost people time, money, and peace of mind.

At Africa Check, we investigate these claims so you and your loved ones know what’s real — like confirming that official Sassa parcels can only be applied for in person or via Sassa’s official WhatsApp: 0600 123 456.

Your support helps us spot scams, verify facts, and share clear, trustworthy information every day. Every donation counts toward keeping South Africans safe from misinformation.

Today is World Diabetes Day. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation.

The latest data shows that in 2022, diabetes was the leading underlying cause of death in South Africa.  

Explore key facts about health, education, elections and more with Africa Check’s Info Finder. Empower yourself with verified facts today.

A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, despite being widely shared.

FALSE: Claims that clove water can destroy cancer cells in just 48 hours and is 100 times more effective than chemotherapy are false. There is no scientific evidence to support this, and delaying or avoiding medical cancer treatment can have serious consequences.

FALSE: Social media posts claim that over 5,000 German troops were withdrawn from Ukraine amid fears that Russia would attack Germany. But the German military has not had troops in Ukraine.

Kenya 🇰🇪

FALSE: A TikTok video claiming that Kenya’s deputy police chief, Eliud Lagat, has died is false. The video uses unrelated photos showing other hospitalised police officers. Evidence shows Lagat continuing with his duties. 

FALSE: Some social media users have posted a photo, claiming that it shows the aftermath of a landslide in Kenya’s Elgeyo Marakwet county in October 2025. However, the photo was taken in 2018 in Peru.

FALSE: A video circulating on social media, claiming Kenya's prime cabinet secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for Opiyo Wandayi's resignation, is misleading. The clip dates back to March 2021 and was aimed at the Uhuru Kenyatta administration over fuel price hikes. It’s not related to the 2025 power crisis.

FALSE: An image of a protester kicking a tear gas canister while another appears to be waving the Tanzanian flag has been circulating online. But the image has been manipulated and claims that it is from Tanzania’s post-election protests in 2025 are false. 

Nigeria 🇳🇬

FALSE: Nigeria’s senate president Akpabio didn’t say that president Trump should focus on the US or that ‘Nigerians aren’t complaining about killings’.

FALSE: According to several Facebook posts, popular Nigerian preacher William Kumuyi has said the US is trying to steal Nigeria’s resources and denied any Christian genocide. But the quote is fabricated.

FALSE: China did not vow to defend or supply Nigeria with ‘powerful weapons’ following US president Trump’s ‘Christian genocide’ claims.

FALSE: Several Facebook posts claimed that the first US fighter jet had landed in Nigeria after US president Donald Trump warned the West African country to stop the alleged killing of Christians. But we found no evidence of the US military deployment and the posts show unrelated photos. 

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Your weekly dose of facts in newsletter form is created by Laura Kapelari (@laurakapelari). It is edited by Lee Mwiti (@LMAfrican) and Cayley Clifford (@cayleyclifford).