IEC blames foreign actors for election fake news as false victory claims spread

The Electoral Commission has pointed the finger abroad for much of the election disinformation flooding social media.

But it has stopped short of naming the countries, the networks, or the people allegedly behind it.

The claims were made by IEC Vice Chairperson Janet Love at Thursday's results briefing, as false posters declaring party victories were already circulating online and threatening to undermine confidence in the count before it was complete.

Love said the Commission had set up a joint platform with civil society organisations and media organisations to track and combat disinformation, and urged the public to use it rather than forwarding unverified claims.

"With regard to disinformation, particularly disinformation on social media, the Commission has set up a platform together with a number of civil society organisations and media organisations in order for us to track and combat disinformation. We have urged people, and continue to urge people, to forward posts that they wish to get clarity on, or that they regard as disinformation, to the Real411 platform," Love said.

The IEC said it was also working directly with major social media platforms to deal with misleading election content, using a framework understanding that allows problematic posts to be downgraded or removed in line with each platform's policies.

"We have also been working in conjunction with the major platforms that operate in this country. We have a framework understanding with them, so that posts that are problematic in terms of our election processes can be downgraded or dealt with in accordance with the different policies of the various platforms," Love said.

"We have really been reaching out quite extensively to everybody, and we wish to do that again, to urge people to verify information, to check, and to ensure that we don't just repost things which are plainly mischief-making. Many of them, in fact, are not even originating from within this country," she said.

Already, posters claiming political party victories are circulating online. One such poster claims the ANC has won the Mayfair ward in Johannesburg.

IEC officials warned that these claims should not be mistaken for final results.

Deputy CEO Masego Sheburi said results announced at individual voting stations were provisional only, and could still change if an objection leads to a recount.

"We complete the result slips in duplicate following the count at the station. One is transported to a capturing site. The other is left at the voting station as a way of publicly announcing a provisional result for that station. If it has not been altered or tampered with, treat it as a provisional result until such time as the Commission announces the final result, because that result could still be subject to an objection that may lead to a recount, and that result changes lawfully," he said.

In other words, a poster on WhatsApp or Facebook is not a result. Only the Commission can declare a final result, after objections have been dealt with.

Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo warned that election disinformation could have dangerous consequences far beyond online confusion.

He urged political candidates and parties to stop circulating unverified claims about election results, warning that false information could inflame tensions, incite violence and result in property damage and injuries.