Hope Ntanzi|Published
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has received more than 700 complaints about election-related disinformation ahead of the November 4 local government elections, as it joins forces with major technology companies to tackle misleading content.
IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said some complaints related to posts on social media platform X, including cases in which artificial intelligence (AI) had been used to manipulate people’s photographs. However, he said the incidents had not significantly disrupted the electoral environment.
The commission has partnered with Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and non-profit organisation Moxii Africa to protect the integrity of election information and ensure voters can access credible information ahead of the polls.
The partnership follows a similar framework established before the 2024 national and provincial elections.
“Our partnership with digital platforms is critical to ensuring that voters have access to credible, accurate and trustworthy information to make informed political choices. A technically flawless election can still lose public trust if citizens are overwhelmed by disinformation,” Mamabolo said.
“Therefore, the partnership eliminates barriers to direct access to the platforms and enables instantaneous remedial action against disinformation peddlers,” he added.
IEC sets out measures to counter disinformation
The partnership forms part of the commission’s wider efforts to address election-related disinformation, including the Electoral Code of Conduct Countering Disinformation in the Local Government Elections, gazetted on September 4.
The code applies to political parties, candidates and anyone acting on their behalf. It forms part of the Electoral Code of Conduct and carries the same sanctions.
Mamabolo said the commission could refer complaints to the Electoral Court, depending on the findings of its review.
“Depending on the findings, the commission, upon careful review of any reported complaint, can refer matters to the Electoral Court, and that court may mete out sanctions, including fines of up to R200,000 and custodial sentences of between five and 10 years,” he said.
Under the partnership, the IEC and the technology companies will co-operate during the election period, establish a working group, conduct election awareness campaigns and provide disinformation training for political parties, candidates and other stakeholders.
The agreement also recognises existing laws and the Constitution, with no requirement for platforms to share confidential user data. Technology companies will continue applying their own policies, including content removal, advisory warnings and delisting.
Voters urged to report suspected disinformation
The IEC has designated Real411 to help minimise the impact of disinformation during the 2026 local government elections.
Members of the public who encounter suspected election-related disinformation can submit complaints through the Real411 website or mobile application. Complaints are handled in all 11 official languages.
Real411 independently assesses complaints and recommends action to the commission and relevant platforms.
Following a review, the IEC may refer a matter to the Electoral Court, send it to the relevant platform for action or issue a media statement to alert the public and correct false information.
Technology companies commit to protecting election information
Microsoft South Africa director of government affairs Abongile Vanda said credible elections depended on public trust in information.
“Free, fair and credible elections depend on people being able to trust the information they see. No single organisation can tackle disinformation alone, which is why Microsoft is pleased to join the Electoral Commission in this partnership.
''Ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections, we will work alongside the Commission, civil society and industry to help voters find authoritative election information, strengthen media and AI literacy, and counter deceptive AI-generated content,” Vanda said.
TikTok’s government relations and public policy lead for Southern Africa, Tholoana Ncheke-Mahlaela, said the platform would direct users to reliable election information through its in-app Election Centre.
“At TikTok, we recognise the important role our platform plays in helping people discover information and engage in public conversations. This is why we take our responsibility to protect our community during elections very seriously,” she said.
Ncheke-Mahlaela said election-related labels and search banners had been introduced to direct users to the Election Centre, supported by moderation systems and collaboration with fact-checking partners and electoral commissions.
Moxii Africa director William Bird said co-ordinated action was necessary to protect voters from misinformation and disinformation.
“Information integrity is fundamental to the credibility of any democratic process. In an increasingly complex digital environment, protecting voters from misinformation and disinformation requires co-ordinated action across institutions, technology platforms, civil society and citizens themselves,” Bird said.
“This partnership represents an important commitment to ensuring that South Africans can access accurate, trustworthy election information and participate in the 2026 Local Government Elections with confidence,” he added.
The IEC has made guidance on identifying, checking and reporting election disinformation available on its website as parties campaign ahead of the November 4 elections.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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