Midrand:Government has reiterated its call for South Africans and political parties to refrain from spreading misinformation and disinformation regarding the 2026 Local Government Elections. The warning was issued by Government Deputy Spokesperson William Baloyi at the Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Midrand.
According to South African Government News Agency, Baloyi emphasized that the circulation of unverified results and unauthorized photographs of marked ballot papers undermines the integrity of the electoral process. He highlighted the IEC as the sole legitimate authority to announce election results and urged the public to allow the results-capturing and verification processes to proceed without interference.
Baloyi further explained that misinformation and disinformation are considered criminal acts, with the South African Police Service already making arrests related to such activities. He specifically noted the sharing of photographs with marked ballot papers as a violation of electoral rules and expressed concern about speculative election results misleading the public before official announcements by the IEC.
In addition, Baloyi urged political parties and independent candidates to use the appropriate IEC mechanisms for raising complaints or objections, rather than issuing potentially tension-creating statements. He called on all stakeholders to accept the final election results as a true reflection of voters' will.
Baloyi also commended South Africans, especially young people, for their participation in the elections, describing the turnout as a significant milestone in the country's democratic development. He emphasized the importance of local government elections, as municipalities are crucial for community services. Although official voter turnout figures are pending from the IEC, Baloyi welcomed increased youth involvement and urged continued engagement in democratic processes.