Pretoria:The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has announced a partnership with major tech companies including Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and the non-profit organization Moxii Africa. This collaboration aims to ensure the integrity of election information and counter disinformation in the lead-up to the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections.
According to South African Government News Agency, this partnership follows a similar framework established ahead of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections. It is part of the IEC's strategic measures to enhance the integrity of election information, including the introduction of the Electoral Code of Conduct Countering Disinformation, which was gazetted on 4 September 2026.
The Disinformation Code applies to political parties, candidates, and their representatives, integrating with the existing Electoral Code of Conduct and carrying similar sanctions. The IEC has emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating that it brings digital platforms into a unified effort to maintain accurate and trustworthy election information.
The partnership entails cooperation during the election period, respect for existing laws without sharing confidential user data, alignment with constitutional and electoral laws, and the establishment of a working group for election awareness campaigns. It also allows platforms to enforce their own policies, such as content removal and advisory warnings.
The Real411 platform has been designated to support the IEC's efforts to minimize disinformation. It allows the public to report suspected election-related disinformation, with complaints handled in all eleven official languages. Real411 independently assesses these complaints and recommends actions to the IEC and the platforms.
The tech companies involved in the partnership have expressed their commitment to supporting the IEC. Microsoft, for instance, emphasized the importance of trustworthy information for free, fair, and credible elections. TikTok has introduced an in-app Election Centre to provide reliable election information and has implemented election-related labels and search banners.
Moxii Africa's Director, William Bird, highlighted the significance of coordinated action across institutions, technology platforms, and civil society to protect voters from misinformation and disinformation. He expressed pride in supporting this collective effort to strengthen trust and democratic resilience.
Source South African Government News Agency