TikTok has launched an in-app election centre in partnership with the IEC ahead of South Africa's local government elections.
TikTok South Africa has launched an in-app election centre in partnership with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to help users navigate misinformation and access facts as SA gears up for its local government elections set for 4 November.
The election centre provides information on key election dates, voting and the electoral process, while also linking users to an AI media literacy hub with guidance on identifying AI-generated content and using AI responsibly.
Sy Mamabolo, chief electoral officer at the IEC, said: “As more South Africans engage with information through digital platforms, it is essential that trusted resources are easily accessible and that misinformation is actively addressed.
“The election centre on TikTok will help connect voters with official information about the electoral process, supporting informed participation and strengthening public confidence in the integrity of the elections."
Tholoana Ncheke-Mahlaela, government relations and public policy lead for southern Africa at TikTok, said: “South Africans will be able to access reliable information about the elections, and to further support this, we have introduced election-related labels and search banners that direct users to the centre with a single tap.”
TikTok removed over 1 million videos in SA during the first quarter of 2026 for violating its community guidelines, with 99.6% of these videos proactively removed before anyone reported them, while 94.9% were taken down within 24 hours of posting.
The figures were revealed in TikTok’s latest Community Guidelines Enforcement report for January to March 2026.
According to the report, TikTok also removed about 90 000 videos in SA for violating policies on civic and election integrity, misinformation and harmfully misleading AI-generated content. More than 99% of that content was removed before it was reported.
TikTok prohibits paid political advertising and accounts belonging to politicians or political parties, which are not able to advertise or make money on TikTok.
While election-related advertising from candidates, political parties and other advertisers remains prohibited, TikTok does permit official election management bodies to run ads containing essential voter information, such as voter registration guidance, polling information and participation details.