Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

04 August 2026

2-minute read

An article written by human rights lawyer and founder of the organization The Campaign for Free Expression Nicole Fritz claims that paid social media influencers and coordinated fake news campaigns are posing a severe threat to SA’s democracy.

Nicole explains that the Draft Electoral Code of Conduct on Addressing Disinformation recently published by the Electoral Commission is “an excellent initiative” that recognises that elections are no longer contested “simply by affixing political posters to streetlamps.”  Voters now stay informed on electoral information via online messaging platforms and newsfeeds. Refining the code will ensure that information received by voters will be trustworthy sources that can easily be verified and interrogated.

Disinformation is usually disseminated via automated bots, fake accounts, co-ordinated online campaigns, AI generating fakes on political candidates, parties and events, and is often difficult for the layman to distinguish between real and fake news.

The code recognises that disinformation may be perpetrated online and seeks to address it, especially that information shared by influencers who are paid by political parties. The main concern is addressing publications of lies, untruths and falsehoods that are published with intention to prevent, affect or disrupt an election. These carry a sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment.

However, Nicole states that there are “other forms of disinformation which the code seems to recognise,” but which are not clearly defined with no transparent consequences. She mentions that they require better definitions and clearer identification on what the consequences of spreading disinformation are, so as to give voters information that they can trust.

The window for comment is closed until the electoral commission engages with the submissions that have been made, and until they propose a “refined, reworked version of the code” that may elicit further discussion.

Listen to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Nicole Fritz here.