ANALYSIS OF COVID-19 REGULATIONS VIS-À-VIS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN THE SADC REGION through a zero-rated comprehensive resource portal.125In addition, the Department of Health uses an automated WhatsApp support service to disseminate information about the testing, symptoms prevention and other relevant COVID-19 related information and dismissing false information about COVID-19.126 only 39% of Africa’s 1, 3 billion population is connected to the internet.129Other challenges associated with access to internet include the exorbitant cost of data in most African countries; social media taxes that reduce the number of social media users; digital and media illiteracy; absence of infrastructure that supports internet connectivity; the high cost of assistive devices for persons with disabilities; violence against women online and electricity problems in most parts of Africa. As a result of these challenges, even the requirement of fact-checking to curb the spread of disinformation becomes impractical. For the digitally unconnected world mostly rural communities, there is a high probability of relying on unverified information. Instead of focusing a lot on criminal sanctions, governments could concentrate on promoting l i fesav ing narratives and countering disinformation. 127Most countries across Africa have entered into partnerships with Facebook to counter the fake social media campaign and messages on Facebook and WhatsApp platforms.128Coronavirus information centres are created on Facebook and appear at the top of the newsfeed and serve as a central point for accessing timely and credible information on COVID-19. In Southern Africa, South Africa and Seychelles and part of the initiative and this contributes to access to credible information. Whistle-blower protection Whistle-blower protection is an essential element of freedom of expression. In a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, whistle-blowers expose the capacity of the healthcare delivery system and the wrong doing associated with the government’s responses to the crisis. The response to coronavirus including mitigation and containment measures require more financial injection. Because of this, governments, international organisations, NGOs and companies have been releasing funds for managing the health crisis. The response mechanisms are conceptualised and implemented in emergency mode and it is in While SADC countries grapple with the SADC region COVID-19 pandemic, the faults and gaps on the access to information ecosystem have been exposed. Most of them still do not have laws that facilitate access to information. Where the laws exist, there is lack of or inadequate implementation. The existing challenges hamper the exercise and enjoyment of the right of access to information, which has been pronounced as essential to the right to health. For example, 125 South African repository https://coronavirus.datafree.co/ (accessed 22 June 2020). 126 African governments, Facebook and Twitter are fighting to dispel misinformation on coronavirus https://qz.com/africa/1820712/ coronavirus-in-africa-facebook-twitter-fight-misinformation/ (accessed 22 June 2020). 127 In the UK, for example, the government established a rapid response unit under its Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to address misinformation and disinformation. Working with other departments such as the Department of Health and Social Care, it tackles falsehoods and rumours which could cost lives and ensures that the public consumes accurate medical advice. While rebutting false medical advice through relevant departments, the anti-fake news agency also supports and promotes health campaigns that are based on reliable sources. This approach guarantees the proactive disclosure of accurate information that is relevant about the pandemic or government’s responses to the pandemic, at the same time it dispels the falsehoods. The Canadian initiative is also worth emulating and reduces the spread of misinformation. A video game app was developed to teach people how to identify falsehoods. See K Proctor ‘UK anti-fake news unit dealing with up to 10 false coronavirus articles a day’ 30 March 2020 https://www. theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/30/uk-anti-fake-news-unit- coronavirus?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX01lZGlhQnJpZWZpbmctMjAwMzMx&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CM P=media_email&utm_campaign=MediaBriefing. See also https://mediasmarts. ca/break-fake (accessed 22 June 2020). 128 G Msowoya ‘ICTAM partners Facebook in ending fake news on COVID-19’ 29 April 2020 https://www.manaonline.gov.mw/index. php/component/k2/item/13970-ictam-partners-facebook-in-ending-fake-news-on-covid- 19 (accessed 22 June 2020). 129 For internet connectivity statistics see: https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm https://zimbabwe.misa.org 26