South Africa: Local Elections Will Test Voters' Ability to Spot Fake News

South Africa's upcoming local elections on November 4th present a critical test for voters' ability to discern false information, as artificial intelligence and hyper-local campaigning make manipulation more challenging. The country's Electoral Commission of South Africa has introduced a new code of conduct to address election disinformation, recognizing the declining confidence in identifying fake news among citizens.

A recent survey revealed that this confidence dropped from 62% in 2023 to just 52% in 2025/26. Alarmingly, only 18% of respondents stated they regularly verify election-related information before sharing it.

Despite being an influential source of election information, traditional media like television and radio still dominate, with 71% and 38% of respondents, respectively, relying on these channels. However, social media is rapidly gaining ground, with 23% citing it as a primary source for election-related information, up from 8% in 2021.

This rise in social media usage, coupled with an average of nine hours and 37 minutes spent online daily, has outpaced the development of stronger verification practices. South Africans spend a significant portion of their online time on social media, with much of this information exchanged via community WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages.

Political parties and candidates face mounting pressure to verify information before sharing, as well as clearly label political advertising and AI-generated content. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in legal consequences equivalent to those for core Electoral Code violations. While the upcoming elections loom, the challenge of maintaining information integrity extends beyond the election period.

Persistent allegations of vote rigging following the 2024 elections underscore the need for sustained efforts to strengthen information integrity in South Africa.