THE Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) is aiming to tackle disinformation ahead of the Local Government Elections on November 4 with a new gazetted code of conduct. 

Also read: Survey finds Local Government Elections ‘free and fair’

The Electoral Code of Conduct Countering Disinformation in the Local Government Elections, known as the Disinformation Code, was announced to help strengthen the elections’ integrity while promoting free, fair and orderly elections.

The code aims to allow lawful criticism, commentary, fair reporting and opinions that all promote legitimate and healthy debates. 

Similarly to the Electoral Code of Conduct, anyone in contravention of the new Disinformation Code will be subjected to the same sanctions. 

Commitments under the code:

Under the code, both political parties and candidates must:

• Check the accuracy of information before sharing it and take responsibility for content published by them.
• Publicly retract or correct any false or misleading information within 36 hours of becoming aware of it.
• Avoid using deceptive practices like doxing, cyberbullying and bot accounts 
• Label AI-generated content clearly before sharing 
• Clearly label all political advertising 
• Promote awareness of the Code among members and supporters.
• Report any instances of disinformation within 36 hours of becoming aware of it.

How to report disinformation

The IEC has established a digital designated disinformation reporting and tracking platform called Real411. 

This platform is accessible to anyone who wishes to report suspected election-related disinformation.

To access the platform visit https://real411.org.za/elections

Already in effect

The Disinformation Code is already in effect and will remain until the declaration of the election results. 

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