Stronger Safeguards Needed Against Election Disinformation

ActionSA has today submitted comprehensive recommendations to the Electoral Commission (IEC) on its Draft Electoral Code of Conduct on Countering Disinformation in Local Government Elections, welcoming the Commission’s proactive efforts while calling for stronger safeguards to protect the integrity of South Africa’s elections.

The rise of artificial intelligence, digitally manipulated content, coordinated online disinformation campaigns and opaque political messaging presents one of the greatest emerging threats to free and fair elections. As technology evolves, so too must the measures designed to protect voters’ ability to make informed democratic choices. 

ActionSA has consistently advocated for stronger election integrity measures, including through our Election Integrity Bill introduced in Parliament last year. Our submission to the IEC builds on that commitment by proposing practical and legally sound improvements to the Draft Code.

Among the key recommendations contained in ActionSA’s submission are: 

• Greater transparency for political opinion polls, including mandatory disclosure of polling methodology, sample size, margin of error, sponsors, commissioners and fieldwork dates. Voters deserve to know who commissioned political polls and whether those polls are methodologically credible before they are used to shape public opinion.
• Clear labelling of AI-generated and digitally altered election content to ensure that voters can readily distinguish authentic material from synthetic or manipulated content.
• Voluntary election integrity commitments from major online platforms, including dedicated election integrity contact points, expedited handling of election-related complaints, transparency reporting and cooperation with lawful requests from the Electoral Commission.
• A publicly accessible register of disinformation complaints, enabling greater transparency regarding complaints received, investigations conducted and enforcement action taken by the Commission.
• Greater legal certainty throughout the Code, including clearly defined compliance timeframes and improved definitions to ensure consistent implementation and enforcement.

ActionSA also recommends that the Code expressly protect lawful political speech, satire, parody and fair comment in accordance with section 16 of the Constitution, ensuring that efforts to combat disinformation remain appropriately balanced with the constitutional right to freedom of expression. 

ActionSA believes these recommendations will strengthen the Draft Code while remaining fully consistent with the Electoral Commission’s existing statutory mandate.

South Africa’s democracy depends upon voters being able to make informed choices based on accurate information. As artificial intelligence and digital manipulation become increasingly sophisticated, our electoral framework must evolve accordingly. Transparency is one of the most effective tools available to protect electoral integrity. Whether it is AI-generated content, political opinion polling or online disinformation, voters deserve to know who is behind the information they receive and how that information has been produced.

ActionSA commends the Electoral Commission for initiating this important process and looks forward to continued engagement as the Draft Code is finalised ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

ActionSA Dr. Nasiphi Moya (Deputy President / Tshwane Mayor) Academic Background: Holds a PhD in Political Science and is recognized for her technical expertise in governance. Current Power: As of late 2024, she made history by becoming the Executive Mayor of Tshwane (Pretoria), leading a coalition that displaced the DA in the capital. Strategic Value: She represents the party’s shift toward young, highly educated, and technically competent leadership.