As the country moves towards the Local Government Elections (LGE), the Independent Electoral Commission has emphasised the important role played by media in safeguarding electoral democracy.
This as the Commission concluded its latest Elections Training Workshop for Journalists in Polokwane, Limpopo, on Tuesday.
IEC Limpopo Provincial Electoral Officer, Nkaro Mateta, emphasised the important role played by the media in safeguarding electoral democracy and in the free flow of credible and accurate information about political parties, candidates, voting station operations and electoral regulations.
“In a rapidly evolving information environment, this responsibility has become even more significant. Journalists are required not only to report on events but also to navigate an increasingly complex digital ecosystem where misinformation and disinformation can spread rapidly and undermine public confidence in democratic institutions,” said Mateta, adding that this work was an essential prerequisite for free and fair elections.
The Polokwane session brought together over 90 journalists from community, regional and national media platforms across Limpopo.
The participants engaged robustly on key issues, including imminent changes in the local government sector, the impact of misinformation and disinformation in the electoral environment, and strategies for verifying false and misleading claims, images and videos that often circulate during election periods.
The countrywide workshops are held in partnership with the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef), the South African Local Government Association (Salga), Africa Check and Moxii Africa.
The first workshop was held in Durban on 10 March 2026 and the next one is scheduled for 25 March 2026 in Mahikeng, North West.
Last week, the Commission called on all South Africans eligible to vote to register for the Local Government Elections where they live.
“In a Local Government Election, there is no legal facility to vote outside of the voting station of registration. This is a necessary requirement as it ensures that voters vote in a ward election that has a relationship with their place of ordinary residence,” said the Commission at a media briefing on Tuesday.
The Commission announced that a national voter registration weekend will take place on 20 and 21 June 2026. – SAnews.gov.za
