IEC warns against misinformation ahead of local elections

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) banner outside a voting station at Hofland Park Community Centre in Johannesburg on May 29, 2025.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has expressed concern about sustained misinformation on social media about the commission’s management of elections.

The IEC has warned political party leaders against making false statements about the commission, saying they could undermine the integrity of the 4 November local government elections.

The IEC has met with various stakeholders in KwaZulu-Natal as part of its preparations for the elections.

Provincial Electoral Officer Ntombifuthi Masinga says they have prioritised educating South Africans about the work of the commission in an effort to dispel false information.

“One thing that people have to know is that you can go to the IEC website and see results down to the voting station level. If you had a party agent at the voting station and they took a picture of the voting slip, they can even go there and check whether the results on that result slip matches the results on our system. That’s the message that we are pushing across to say the transparency that is embedded in our system as the electoral commission is what saves us and that is what are trying to educate people on.”