Centre for Alternative Information

Johannesburg, Gauteng – The Centre for Alternative Information RSA has strongly dismissed the so-called South African Mayors Report (2025) as a deeply flawed and misleading exercise that fails to capture the true sentiments of ordinary South Africans. In a statement issued by spokesperson Sibusiso Mazibuko on Monday, 4 November 2025, the organisation criticised the report for relying almost entirely on unverified social media data, ignoring real-world community feedback and painting an incomplete picture of mayoral performance. This comes amid growing concerns over the rise of digital misinformation in South Africa, where social media often amplifies vocal minorities while sidelining broader public views.
The report, produced by DataEQ – a company specialising in sentiment analysis through emotional intelligence applied to data – was released on Friday, 31 October 2025. It ranks mayors based on online conversations, claiming to reflect public opinion on leadership in major metros. However, critics like the Centre argue it represents “selective analysis — a digital popularity contest masquerading as data science,” detached from the ground realities where residents experience tangible service delivery.

Report’s Methodology Under Fire for Lack of Depth

By its own admission, the report analysed 707,723 social media mentions, drawing its findings from a sample of 39,165 posts across platforms like Twitter (X), Facebook, and online press. These were not verified through any on-the-ground surveys, interviews, or community engagement, relying instead on algorithmic processing to gauge sentiment. The Centre slammed this approach as superficial, noting: “In essence, this is not a reflection of citizen sentiment — it is a reflection of social media noise, often dominated by bots, political trolls, and echo chambers with little link to the lived realities of ordinary residents.”
Furthermore, the methodology lacks objectivity and decorum, treating online negativity as a measure of performance without context or verification. The report openly concedes that posts from official city or mayoral accounts were excluded from sentiment analysis, meaning positive updates, achievements, and factual communication were deliberately ignored. This alone disqualifies the report from being taken seriously as a measure of governance or leadership performance, according to the Centre.
DataEQ’s analysis focused on conversation volume and net sentiment, ranking Tshwane’s Dr Nasiphi Moya as the best-performing mayor, followed by Johannesburg’s Dada Morero and eThekwini’s Cyril Xaba. At the bottom were Nelson Mandela Bay’s Babalwa Lobishe, Mangaung’s Gregory Nthatisi, and Buffalo City’s Xola Pakati. While the report claims to offer insights into public perception, it has faced backlash for oversimplifying complex issues like service delivery challenges in metros.
Broader Concerns Over Social Media as a Tool for Public Opinion
South Africa’s digital landscape, with over 26 million active social media users, has become a battleground for narratives, but experts warn of its limitations. Platforms like X and Facebook often create echo chambers where algorithms boost sensational content, amplifying biases and bots while marginalising diverse voices. A 2023 study by the Media Monitoring Africa found that social media sentiment can skew heavily towards urban, English-speaking users, ignoring rural and non-English perspectives that make up a large part of the population.
The Centre echoed these worries, stating: “The true pulse of the people lies not in filtered hashtags or online arguments but in communities, wards, and local engagements — where residents witness tangible improvements in infrastructure, safety, and service delivery.” They urged media and commentators to prioritise authentic, community-based feedback over “lazy analytics dressed up as credible research.”
This criticism aligns with global trends, where reports based solely on social media have been debunked for inaccuracy. For instance, similar sentiment analyses in the US during elections have overstated negativity due to bot interference, leading to calls for hybrid methods combining online data with fieldwork.

Political and Public Reactions to the Report

The DataEQ report has sparked mixed responses since its release. ActionSA celebrated Moya’s top ranking, with national chairperson Michael Beaumont posting on X: “For a young party, ActionSA is proving that its leaders have an unmatched ability to fix broken municipalities.” Supporters praised it as a tool for accountability, but detractors like the Centre argue it fuels division without substance.
In Tshwane, Moya’s high score was linked to positive online buzz about her service delivery efforts, while lower-ranked mayors like Lobishe faced criticism over metro challenges. However, without ground surveys, these rankings may not reflect voter experiences in wards where improvements like pothole fixes or water supply happen quietly.

Centre for Alternative Information RSA Slams DataEQ’s 2025 South African Mayors Report as Biased Social Media Echo Chamber

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Centre for Alternative Information

Centre for Alternative Information RSA Slams DataEQ’s 2025 South African Mayors Report as Biased Social Media Echo Chamber

Centre for Alternative Information

Report’s Methodology Under Fire for Lack of Depth

Political and Public Reactions to the Report

centralnewsza #news #politics #ngwathe #feziledabi #freestate

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