Image: Itumeleng English/ ANA Studio
Political parties and candidates will have 36 hours to publicly retract and correct false or misleading information under new rules introduced by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) ahead of the November 4 local government elections.
The Electoral Code of Conduct Countering Disinformation in the Local Government Elections, known as the Disinformation Code, was promulgated on Friday.
The IEC said the Code was aimed at enhancing election integrity and promoting free, fair and orderly local government elections.
“Free and fair elections depend on procedural correctness and credible information that is key to shaping the voters' choices,” the Commission said.
The Code applies to political parties, candidates and anyone acting on their instructions, authority or for reward.
It covers election-related communication both online and offline, whether paid or unpaid.
Under the new rules, parties and candidates must check the accuracy of information before sharing it and take responsibility for content published by them, for them or on their behalf.
They must publicly retract and correct false or misleading information within 36 hours of becoming aware of it.
The IEC also requires them to censure those responsible where appropriate.
The Code prohibits parties and candidates from using fake accounts, bot networks, coordinated inauthentic behaviour, doxing and cyberbullying.
They must also...
ng homes has hit out at false claims circulating online about the allocation of its Stonyhurst Street homes after a fire at one of the tenement buildings. Emergency services were called to the bla...