IEC warns political parties against media attacks | EWN Elections - EWN
Political parties contesting elections in the Western Cape have signed the IEC's code of conduct, which now includes responsibilities to call out disinformation.
ActionSA’s Cape Town mayoral candidate Dereleen James signs the IEC code of conduct in Bellville. Photo: EWN/Lindsay Dentlinger
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) cautioned political parties against attacks on the media and the trolling of journalists during their election campaigns ahead of the November 4 municipal polls.
Political parties contesting elections in the Western Cape signed the IEC's code of conduct, which now includes responsibilities to call out disinformation.
IEC Vice-Chairperson Janet Love said that a free press formed part of the electoral landscape, even if political parties did not agree with its reporting.
As the Electoral Commission ramps up its campaign against mis- and disinformation, the Commission said political parties also had a duty to disclose when they had used artificial intelligence to generate campaign materials to limit disinformation.
Addressing political parties that will contest elections in the Western Cape, commissioner Janet Love said an independent media played a vital role in ensuring voters had access to credible information.
“We need to understand that journalists are part and parcel of the process. And we need to respect them and allow them to do their work. That doesn’t mean we have to agree with their interpretation, but we need to allow them to do their work without intimidation,” she said.
Love said that while political parties might differ on the reporting stance, it did not give parties permission to attack journalists online.
“Going online to troll different individuals and find out who their families are, where they live, and what they look like, so that you can use automated systems to intimidate them, will be found out,” she said.
Political parties have been warned that breaches of the code of conduct could see parties having their votes removed or even their candidates disqualified, while sanctions for breaches ranged from fines to jail time.
