KUGOMPO CITY- The Independent Electoral Commission(IEC) in the Eastern Cape has urged Eastern Cape journalists to play a critical role in protecting the integrity of election information by ensuring that reports are accurate, balanced and based on verified facts.
The call was made during a media engagement hosted by the provincial IEC at the Premier Regent Hotel in KuGompo City on Monday, 05 October 2026.
The two-day engagement forms part of the commission’s efforts to strengthen communication between the IEC, the media and citizens ahead of the elections.
The first day focused on the role of the media during elections, disinformation, election-related communication protocols and the province’s state of readiness.
Eastern Cape Provincial Electoral Officer Khayakazi Magudumane said credible information was essential to ensuring that elections were conducted fairly.
“There has never been an election without information sharing and there can never be a fair election if there are no watchdogs on the processes that unfold when it is election period,” Magudumane said.
She said journalists needed to understand the IEC’s procedures, including where to obtain information and which officials were authorised to provide it.
“We need people from the media space to be informed. We are here to share with you where we are as an Electoral Commission and to make sure that you understand the IEC protocols in terms of what you call when you need information, where you get the information and who is behind it,” she said.
Magudumane also warned journalists against reporting unverified claims, particularly information circulating during the election period. She used the example of claims about political parties being required to make submissions, saying journalists should verify such information with the commission before publishing.
“You must be in the know-how and know that there is nothing like that. You must know that the matter is now with the Constitutional Court,” she said.
According to Magudumane, the media also has a responsibility to report the truth even when journalists are not present when an incident occurs.
Furthermore, the commission said the rapid growth of social media had changed the way South Africans consumed information but traditional media continued to carry significant responsibility because of the public’s reliance on established news organisations.
National IEC representative David Mandha said the commission was also competing for public trust, with voter participation and confidence in the electoral process remaining important considerations.
“From our side as a commission, we are competing for public trust because if we don’t have South Africans behind us, obviously you will still be dealing with voter turnout that is not good, and South Africa will question us for the credibility of the elections,” Mandha said.
He urged journalists to question the IEC and other stakeholders and seek answers from all sides when covering election-related matters.In addition Mandha said journalists should apply the principles of balanced reporting by giving relevant parties an opportunity to respond.
“Your role every day is to ensure that the reporting is accurate,” he said. He added that traditional media had an important role in ensuring that different sides of a story were represented.
“When you’re in communication, we also studied journalism. So you also need to make sure that all sides are covered to ensure that we have a free and fair election,” Mandha said.
The engagement also dealt with the challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation in an increasingly digital news environment.
Journalists were encouraged to verify information before publishing and to familiarise themselves with the IEC’s communication channels and protocols.
The session provided journalists with an opportunity to engage directly with the electoral commission on election processes and the standards expected when reporting on elections.
IEC emphasised that, an informed media was important in helping citizens understand electoral processes and make use of their democratic rights.
Courtesy of IMAGES: IEC
Amahle July
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