SOWETAN | Peddling lies about IEC harms trust

With elections just a few weeks away, false narratives and conspiracy theories are increasingly gaining ground, especially on social media.

Take the recent self-created storm by purveyors of disinformation over the meeting between the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) and US ambassador to SA Reuben Brigety.

According to a post on social media platform X, Brigety met with the IEC as the commission prepares to ensure free and fair elections on May 29. The meeting, according to the IEC, was part of its stakeholder engagement to indicate to the world the preparations being made for the upcoming elections.

The commission said it has met previously with European and Caribbean groupings of ambassadors and it will soon be meeting African teams of ambassadors.

But the post about a meeting with the US ambassador has since sparked a flurry of false narratives, including conspiracy theories about possible vote rigging and so-called CIA involvement. It must be stated that it has been standard practice for the IEC to meet with diplomats for briefing on the state of readiness ahead of elections for decades now.

This is because SA is not an island but part of the global community that has an interest in its affairs and how the country manages its democracy attained through peaceful transition from apartheid. SA has many bilateral relations with countries of the world, but none of these relations have undermined its sovereignty.

In fact, it has been through the credible work of the IEC in managing elections that some countries have opted not to send election observers because of the credibility trust gained through managing free and fair elections.

Sadly, while social media has made communication easier, it has also fuelled the spread of misinformation, and the truth has been the casualty in many instances.

We should therefore not allow baseless claims about election fraud to batter the trust that has been built in our democratic institutions like the IEC. It is all our duty as responsible citizens to counter these narratives whenever they surface with the truth.

Peddling damaging lies about the integrity of the IEC ahead of such crucial elections is not only reckless but equally dangerous. It has the capacity to lead people astray, leaving them doubting everything they hear and read.