Welcome to "For Facts' Sake," a podcast for navigating the complex world of disinformation, social media influence campaigns, information integrity, journalism and the media. Join us as we delve into the latest events and issues shaping the information landscape, providing insights and analyses to help you stay informed and discerning in an era where the truth is often obscured.
For Facts' Sake is hosted by Tebadi Mmotla and produced by Charles Leonard on behalf of the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa at Stellenbosch University.
Across the world, and in South Africa, the anti-journalism tool SLAPP (Strategic
Lawsuit Against Public Participation) is also being used against activists and artists.
Despite new forms of SLAPP – prior restraints, protection orders and even super injunctions – the media keeps fighting back. And they keep winning.
We speak to Kuhle Mavuso, a senior associate at South African law firm Webber Wentzel about the use of litigation to silence critical voices.
19 Aug 2026
S2 Ep6: How to use social media for the greater good
Social media platforms are often cesspits of racism, misogyny, ultra-nationalism, xenophobia, fascism and all sorts of other extremisms. But sometimes tech savvy users subvert them for greater good.
In this episode we look at two such examples from the Global South: the recent cockroach uprising in India and a hackathon in response to the rising xenophobia in South Africa.
Host:
Charles Leonard
Guests:
1. Joyojeet Pal
2. Yossabel Chetty
Producer:
Charles Leonard
26 Jun 2026
S2 Ep5: Rebooting the Xenophobic Hate Machine
South Africa is experiencing a resurgence of xenophobic violence. In this episode we discuss how a coordinated, sophisticated online campaign, built over more than six years, has helped fuel anti-immigrant sentiment and become a driving force behind the current wave of attacks.
Guests:
1. Nosipho Mngomezulu - University of the Witwatersrand
2. Noor Nieftagodien - University of the Witwatersrand
3. Kyle Findlay - Murmur Intelligence
Host: Tebadi Mmotla
Producer: Charles Leonard
28 May 2026
S2 Ep4: Election ’26 – Disinformation on steroids
As South Africa prepares for the November 4 local elections, the country faces a digital storm of misinformation and disinformation spreading online. In this episode, featuring CINIA Communications Practitioner Janet Heard, we look at how you need to get yourself a very sophisticated BS detector.
Stay up to date through CINIA's Elections Observatory: https://cinia.africa/publications/elections-observatory/
Host: Tebadi Mmotla
Producer: Charles Leonard
4 May 2026
S2 Ep3: AI in SA newsrooms – The Good, the Bad and the Wobbly
South African journalists are enthusiastically using AI tools in their work. A
groundbreaking new CINIA report has revealed that while AI is offering significant efficiencies in newsrooms, it also raises urgent concerns about training, ethics and trust.
In this episode we delve into why adoption remains uneven and largely informal, and also ask if AI in newsrooms is just a generational issue.
Explore the topic in more detail: https://cinia.africa/new-study-finds-south-african-newsrooms-rapidly-adopting-ai-but-without-adequate-training-policy-or-local-tools/
Host & Producer: Charles Leonard.
Guests: Nande Mbekela; Cat White; Sipho Kings.
26 Mar 2026
S2 Ep2: Google gives to SA Media. But was Meta let off the hook?
As powerful digital platforms like Google and social media behemoths eat traditional media’s advertising lunch, South Africa’s Competition Commission has made a landmark ruling to try and undo this trend. Still, some platforms may get away with coughing up only small change.
We speak to Michael Markovitz, adjunct faculty member of the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) and head of the GIBS Media Leadership Think Tank, about the recent ruling.
For Facts' Sake is hosted by Tebadi Mmotla and produced by Charles Leonard on behalf of the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (CINIA).
24 Feb 2026
S2 Ep1: Internet shutdowns taking democracy to the precipice
Digital authoritarianism is on the rise, including in Africa. Many governments now shut down the internet during elections, claiming concerns about the spread of misinformation.
But what do these blackouts really reveal about threats to democracy? We speak to CINIA Senior Researcher Karen Allen to find out more.
For Facts' Sake is hosted by Tebadi Mmotla and produced by Charles Leonard on behalf of the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (CINIA).
Read the full transcript via:
https://cinia.africa/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FFS-S2-Ep1-Script.docx
21 Nov 2025
For Facts' Sake Ep 5: The New Censorship That’s Devouring the Global Media
Used by rightwing populists like Trump, Modi, Farage, Milei and Orbán, the
new censorship that was invented by Nethanyahu, is turning journalists’ lives upside down.
We speak to Ayala Panievsky, the author of a groundbreaking new book, who explains how it works.
Read the full episode transcript via: https://cinia.africa/for-facts-sake-ep-5-the-new-censorship-thats-devouring-the-global-media/
17 Oct 2025
For Facts' Sake Ep 4: Scam Inc: How fraudsters turned the Internet into the Wild West
Scammers skilfully craft lies to deceive online users. This practice is known as
delusive speech. In this episode, we dive deeply into this dark side of the online
economy: From fake booking links to romance scams, and tips of how to avoid
getting trapped.
Host: Tebadi Mmotla
Guests: Julie Reid and Carina van Wyk
Credits: Produced by Charles Leonard
Read the full episode transcript via: https://cinia.africa/podcast-scripts/
9 Sept 2025
For Facts’ Sake Ep3: Misinformation, news and genocide denial
Coverage of Gaza has been a massive challenge for the media in a
time of disinformation and genocide denial. We focus on what journalists
can do about it and what happens when legacy media gets it wrong.
For Facts' Sake is hosted by Tebadi Mmotla and produced by Charles Leonard on behalf of the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (CINIA) at Stellenbosch University.
6 Aug 2025
For Facts' Sake Ep 2: The South African lawyer who took on Big Tech
When Meta failed to shut down Instagram accounts and WhatsApp
Channels spreading child sexual abuse content, a brave media lawyer took them to
court and won. She explains why she did it.
For Facts' Sake is hosted by Tebadi Mmotla and produced by Charles Leonard on behalf of the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa at Stellenbosch University.
4 Jul 2025
For Facts’ Sake Ep1: Beyond Cynicism: Empowering Young South Africans as Critical Media Consumers
This episode explores strategies for teaching misinformation literacy to South African youth, helping them become discerning media consumers rather than developing cynicism; this is not an interview.
19 May 2025
US Funding Cuts: How economic fragilities can impact media integrity
On World Press Freedom Day, earlier this month, we delved into the economic fragilities facing the journalism industry which have only been amplified by USAID funding cuts. CIIA Director Herman Wasserman was joined by Ruth Moon from Louisiana State University and Khadija Patel from the International Fund for Public Interest Media to discuss the impact of funding on media integrity and what the future of African journalism might look like.
For more information on the work of the CIIA, visit:
https://ciia.africa/
You can also subscribe to our montly newsletter via:
https://ciiaafricas-newsletter.beehiiv.com/subscribe
9 May 2025
Twatterbaas - Unpacking the investigation with Kyle Cowan that revealed the identity behind an anonymous X account
In this podcast, CIIA researcher Yossabel Chetty chats with News24 Investigative Journalist Kyle Cowan about the recent investigation that he conducted to uncover the identity the person behind an X account, which had been spreading and amplifying misleading narratives about the true state of crime in South Africa.
Links to Cowan's articles, including the detailed investigative steps can be found below. Other articles mentioned during this recording can also be found in the links below:
https://www.news24.com/investigations/x-boer-unmasked-the-ex-farmer-spreading-racism-lies-to-millions-including-musk-trump-20250429-0410
https://www.news24.com/investigations/x-boer-unmasked-how-we-traced-twatterbaas-from-coligny-to-gordons-bay-20250428
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-11-22-how-russia-uses-hybrid-warfare-to-amplify-its-narratives-in-the-south-african-discourse/
31 Mar 2025
SLAPP-ing the Media: The Impact of SLAPPs on Journalism in South Africa
Strategic litigation against public participation, known as SLAPPs are becoming an increasingly common tactic by wealthy & powerful individuals to silence critical journalism. This weaponisation of the legal system to hinder investigative journalism poses a significant threat to information integrity in South Africa.
Joining CIIA Marketing Manager, Daniel Roodt to discuss SLAPPs in South Africa was News24 legal journalist, Karyn Maughan, who has been on the receiving end of a SLAPP and media law expert & partner at law firm Webber Wentzel, Dario Milo.
30 Jan 2025
What Meta's new fact checking policy means for the Global South
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that the company would scale back its content moderation efforts and move to replace it with a community-notes system. This decision has been met with intense criticism from the international fact-checking community, who have claimed it will fuel the spread of disinformation on Meta's platforms.
In this episode, CIIA Director Herman Wasserman is joined by Cayley Clifford, Deputy Chief Editor of Africa Check, and Kavisha Pillay, Executive Director of Campaign on Digital Ethics (CODE), to discuss the implications of this new policy for Meta users in the Global South.
Africa Check: https://africacheck.org/
CODE: https://www.code-sa.org/
Under the Influence is produced by the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (CIIA) at Stellenbosch University.
https://ciia.africa/
30 Jan 2025
Introduction/About
Under the Influence, brought to you by the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (CIIA) and hosted by Professor Herman Wasserman, is a bi-weekly podcast focusing on topical issues in the complex world of disinformation, information integrity, journalism and the media.
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