ANALYSIS OF COVID-19 REGULATIONS VIS-À-VIS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN THE SADC REGION related complaints about the conspiracy theories associated with the pandemic or its existence.102The outcomes include a referral to the Press Ombudsman, South African Police Service (SAPS), South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and/or any other independent statutory body; publication of a counter-narrative; seeking assistance from relevant online platforms; instituting a case with the Equality Court or any other appropriate court or tribunal. Sometimes it can be decided that no action is required.103The outcomes of complaints are publicly accessible, complainants are notified accordingly and where necessary, decisions can be appealed with the Appeals Committee. government of South Africa is an indication of strengthened public-private partnership in tackling the disinformation scourge. 105This partnership, although rare, is significant because it serves as an oversight mechanism and counterbalance to the criminalisation stance on disinformation that the government took under the State of Disaster regulations.106 In this initiative, MMA works in collaboration withtheDepartmentofCommunications&Digital Technologies, the Government Communication & Information System, and the CovidComms volunteer communication network. The initiative also contributes to the work of a special Ministerial Task Team established by the Department of Communications & Digital Technologies, which has in it, representatives from Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), ZA Domain Name Authority (.ZADNA), Film & Publications Board, mobile phone companies and other major players in the ICT sector including platform owners.104This endorsement of the Real411 initiative by the Image adopted from Daily Maverick.107 A similar initiative has been developed and launched in Malawi with the assistance of MMA.108 Africa Check Africa Check is also another distinguished initiative whose work is on fact-checking 109 and promotes accuracy in the media and 102 W Bird & T Smith ‘Disinformation during Covid-19: Weekly Trends from Real411 in South Africa’ 8 June 2020 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-06-08-disinformation-during-covid-19-weekly-trends-from-real411-in-south- africa/#gsc.tab=0 (accessed 15 June 2020). 103 https://www.real411.org/complaints-process (accessed 15 June 2020). 104 Government monitors and responds to misinformation and fake news during Coronavirus Covid-19 lockdown 15 April 2020 https:// www.gov.za/speeches/government-monitors-and-responds-misinformation-and-fake-news-during-coronavirus-covid-19 105 https://blog.real411.org.za/2020/04/17/media-release-government-partners-with-mma-to-curb-fake-information-during-covid19/ 106 C Bernardo n 69 above 107 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-06-08-disinformation-during-covid-19-weekly-trends-from-real411-in-south- africa/#gsc.tab=0 108 ‘Misa Malawi Launches Digital Platform to Fight Disinformation’ 18 June 2020 https://malawi.misa.org/2020/06/18/ misa- malawi-launches-digital-platform-to-fight-disinformation/ 109 Fact-checking (in the context of information disorder) is the process of determining the truthfulness and accuracy of official, published information such as politicians’ statements and news reports. Fact-checking emerged in the U.S. in the 1990s, as a way of authenticating claims made in political ads airing on television. There are now around 150 fact-checking organizations in the world, and many now also debunk misinformation and disinformation from unofficial sources circulating online. https://zimbabwe.misa.org 23