South Africa's Electoral Commission (IEC) has warned of declining public trust in democracy as political parties contesting the November 4 Local Government Elections have pledged to abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct and campaign peacefully. The code was signed by party leaders, including ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, DA federal chair Solly Msimanga, and MK Party president Jacob Zuma, at a ceremony in Midrand.
IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said the signing came against a backdrop of growing public scepticism, citing the commission's 2025/2026 Voter Participation Survey conducted with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). The survey revealed that only 17% of adults surveyed were satisfied with the country's democratic trajectory, while 68% were dissatisfied. Moepya described this as a story of profound structural disillusionment.
According to the survey, public confidence in political parties, municipal councils, and the IEC had declined amid economic hardship and service delivery problems. Moepya also challenged the idea that young people were simply apathetic about voting, citing that 69% of youth respondents believed their vote would not make a tangible difference, while 78% felt political parties became indistinguishable once elected.
The Electoral Code of Conduct aims to ensure that all 136,790 candidates have an equal opportunity to campaign and communicate their messages without fear or unfair distortion. Parties and candidates have committed to rejecting political violence, intimidation, sabotage, and threats against opponents, voters, the IEC, and the media. ANC's Mbalula stated that the party would campaign vigorously while respecting the law and rejecting violence, intimidation, lies, and disinformation.
Other party leaders, including Mashaba, Msimanga, Dlamini, and Zuma, also committed to peaceful elections and highlighted the importance of protecting democracy and allowing voters to make informed decisions. The MK Party's dispute with the IEC over the 2024 national election results remains unresolved, with the party stating that resolving the dispute is a priority ahead of the local government elections.
Moepya emphasized the importance of protecting journalists during the elections, citing Article 8 of the Electoral Code of Conduct, which requires parties and candidates to respect the role of the media and protect them from harassment, intimidation, threats, and physical assault. He also warned against the publication of journalists' private information online and highlighted the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation, particularly on social media.
The IEC has taken steps to strengthen its systems ahead of the November elections, following technical problems experienced during the 2024 national and provincial elections. Voter management devices have been upgraded and stress-tested, while the results system has undergone end-to-end functionality testing. The IEC has also completed the recruitment and training of 23,696 presiding officers and 29,964 deputy presiding officers, and voter education has been intensified.
Key points
- Only 17% of adults surveyed were satisfied with South Africa's democratic trajectory.
- Parties have committed to rejecting political violence, intimidation, sabotage, and threats against opponents, voters, the IEC, and the media.
- The IEC has strengthened its systems ahead of the November elections, following technical problems experienced during the 2024 national and provincial elections.
