Measures to counter disinformation to be in Code of Conduct: IEC

The Electoral Commission (IEC) says it will introduce an additional electoral code of conduct to deal with disinformation ahead of the November 4th local government elections (LGE).

IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo says the measure is aimed at protecting the integrity of the electoral process.

He says the code will take effect once the election date is officially proclaimed, alongside the existing Electoral Code of Conduct.

“Proclamation will also set on the effective date for the Electoral Code of Conduct. And importantly, on this occasion, the code of conduct on measures to counter disinformation. There’s an additional code that the commission will promulgate in the not-too-distant future.”

The IEC also says that it will close the voters’ roll at midnight on the day of the official proclamation of the election date.

It says no new registrations or changes to voter details will be accepted after the deadline. This was the commission’s last voter registration this weekend ahead of the LGE.

Mamabolo says, “So, on the date on which the election date is proclaimed, at midnight on that day, the voters’ roll closes. The commission will immediately publish an election timetable in terms of which certain cutoff dates and times will be set for the performance of various electoral functions, such as the publication of list of voting stations, the publication of the provisional voters roll for purposes of inspection, setting out the date for the applications for special votes, as well as the cutoff date for the submission of lists of candidates.”