The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has entered into a partnership with Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and non-profit organisation, Moxii Africa, to ensure the integrity of election information and counter disinformation ahead of the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections.
The partnership is a sequel to a similar framework signed with the platforms ahead of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections (NPE). It is an indispensable lever buttressing the Commission’s purposive measures to enhance the integrity of election information.
These measures include the gazetting of the Electoral Code of Conduct Countering Disinformation in the Local Government Elections (the Disinformation Code), on 4 September 2026.
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.
According to the Commission, the partnership brings the platforms into the same effort to keep election information accurate and trustworthy.
Underscoring the importance of the partnership, the Commission’s Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said the strategic inclusion of the online platforms gives the Commission direct access to the platforms and a real fighting chance against disinformation.
“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.
“Therefore, the partnership eliminates barriers to direct access to the platforms and enables instantaneous remedial action against disinformation peddlers,” Mamabolo said.
The partnership covers the following:
- Cooperation in good faith during the election period;
- Respect for existing laws, with no requirement to share confidential user data;
- Alignment with the Constitution, municipal electoral laws and the Electoral Code of Conduct, including the Disinformation Code;
- A working group of partners, election awareness campaigns, and training on disinformation for political parties, candidates and other stakeholders;
- Room for platforms to apply their own policies, including content removal, advisory warnings and delisting, and
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Cooperation on other initiatives intended to curb the impact of disinformation in elections.
The Commission has designated the Real411 platform to support its proactive efforts to minimise the impact of disinformation during the 2026 Local Government Elections.
Anyone who sees suspected election-related disinformation can report it to Real411 at real411.org.za or through the Real411 app.
Complaints are handled in all eleven official languages. Real411 assesses complaints independently and recommends action to the Commission and the platforms. Depending on the findings, the Commission, upon careful review of any reported complaint indicating disinformation or misinformation, can:
- Refer the matter to the Electoral Court, which can impose sanctions.
- Promptly refer the matter to the relevant online platform, which is expected to prioritise referrals from the Commission by acknowledging and swiftly processing the notification in line with its policies.
- Issue media statements to alert the public and correct the disinformation. Guidance for voters on spotting, checking and reporting disinformation is available at www.elections.org.za/pw/Elections-And-Results/Report-Election-Disinformation.
The partners welcomed the partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to working with the Commission. They noted that they already have policies and mechanisms to counter disinformation and will keep using them as part of the collective effort.
“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,” said Director: Government Affairs, Microsoft South Africa, Abongile Vanda in affirming Microsoft’s support for the partnership.
“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.
“Through our in-app Election Centre, 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.
“This work is supported by advanced moderation, collaboration with fact-checking partners and electoral commissions like the IEC South Africa to ensure a safe, informed, and authentic election experience for our community,” TikTok’s Government Relations and Public Policy Lead for Southern Africa, Tholoana Ncheke-Mahlaela, said.
“Information integrity is fundamental to the credibility of any democratic process. In an increasingly complex digital environment, protecting voters from misinformation and disinformation requires coordinated action across institutions, technology platforms, civil society and citizens themselves.
“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,” Moxii Africa Director William Bird welcoming the partnership.
Bird said he is proud to support this collective effort to strengthen trust, transparency and democratic resilience. – SAnews.gov.za
