The Electoral Commission is calling on South Africans to comment on the draft Electoral Code of Conduct on Countering Disinformation ahead of the 21 July 2026 deadline.
"The Electoral Commission has published the draft Electoral Code of Conduct on Countering Disinformation in the Government Gazette [dated 30 June 2026] for public comment, marking an important milestone in safeguarding the integrity of electoral processes ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
"The Commission invites all South Africans, political parties, independent candidates, civil society organisations, media practitioners, academics, technology companies, election observers and all interested stakeholders to study the draft Code and submit their comments before the closing date on 21 July 2026," it said in a statement on Thursday.
The Electoral Code of Conduct on Countering Disinformation seeks to establish clear principles and standards that encourage responsible conduct by all electoral participants and stakeholders.
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The code promotes ethical communication, transparency and accountability while reinforcing the constitutional rights to freedom of expression, political participation and access to information.
The Code of Conduct aims to:
· Give practical effect to the constitutional rights to freedom of expression and political participation, while reinforcing existing legal provisions that prohibit the intentional dissemination of false election-related information.
· Foster an informed, credible and diverse information environment that supports the free flow of accurate and trustworthy election information, while strengthening resilience against disinformation, manipulation and coordinated inauthentic online behaviour.
· Provide guidance to political parties, candidates, public representatives and other influential actors on the standards of conduct expected in preventing, identifying and responding to disinformation that threatens electoral integrity and democratic processes.
· Establish practical and effective measures to prevent, detect and respond to disinformation in the digital environment, including content disseminated through social media platforms and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The Commission emphasises that countering disinformation is a shared responsibility. The success of South Africa's democracy depends on the active participation of citizens and stakeholders in protecting the integrity of electoral information and promoting informed public debate.
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"The public consultation process provides an opportunity for all interested persons to contribute to the development of a practical, balanced and effective framework that supports credible elections while respecting constitutional rights and freedoms. The Commission therefore encourages all South Africans to review the draft Code and submit constructive comments and proposals," it said.
The draft code can be accessed here: https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202607/54925gon3995.pdf
The code comes as South Africa will go the polls in the Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026. Last month the Commission held a voter registration weekend to which the Commission said citizens responded to the call to register and update their voter details ahead of the polls.
