AI-driven deepfakes and political violence in KwaZulu-Natal top concerns as country prepares for polls
JOHANNESBURG, April 23, 2026 (GLOBAL ECHOS )
South Africa’s Electoral Commission (IEC) has raised alarm over what its chairperson described as “significant” risks threatening the credibility of the country’s upcoming local government elections, scheduled between November 2026 and January 2027, citing political violence, disinformation and a widening budget gap as key challenges.
IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya told Parliament this week that conditions in the KwaZulu-Natal province in particular had drawn the commission’s concern, a region with a documented history of political violence and civil unrest. Separately, Moepya has warned that the elections are likely to witness a shift from broad national misinformation campaigns toward ward-level disinformation driven by generative artificial intelligence tools.
“The primary challenge of 2026 is the rise of generative AI and its application in ‘hyper-local’ contexts,” Moepya said at a recent security forum. “We expect a flurry of deepfakes in these municipal elections.” The commission said it would deploy direct-to-citizen verification tools and rely on the Cybercrimes Act and Electoral Code of Conduct to pursue those who intentionally spread harmful digital disinformation.
Financially, the IEC faces a projected budget shortfall of approximately R1.6 billion after its total allocation of R3.1 billion falls well short of estimated expenditure of R4.75 billion. The commission said the deficit would be covered by retained surpluses from prior non-election years.
Public confidence in both democracy and the electoral commission itself has fallen to historic lows, with Moepya saying only 49 percent of eligible voters indicated they were open to voting. Satisfaction with political parties has dropped to approximately 18 percent. The elections will be the first major test of South Africa’s fragmented multi-party governance landscape since the African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority in 2024.
