Election disinformation is a newsroom issue. PIIE wants to help

Election disinformation is not always loud, obvious or easy to trace. Sometimes it appears as a fake poster shared in a WhatsApp group. Sometimes it is a manipulated image, a misleading voice note, a false claim about voting procedures, or a coordinated attempt to make people distrust the IEC, journalists or the voting process itself.

This is why the Partnership for Information Integrity and Elections, known as PIIE is important.

PIIE is a multi-stakeholder coalition led by Moxii Africa, SANEF and Africa Check. It brings together civil society, media, technology platforms and state organs to help identify and respond to disinformation ahead of South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections.

The coalition includes organisations such as the IEC South Africa, CINIA and Majara Media Monitoring. Its work is built around coordinated response, pooled intelligence, credible public information and practical support for those working to protect the integrity of the election.

For journalists, this matters because disinformation not only affects voters, it also affects the newsrooms and our credibility. Reporters may be targeted, misled, pressured to amplify false claims, or forced to respond quickly to content that has already travelled widely online.

PIIE offers a space where signals, tactics and learnings can be shared between media houses, fact-checkers, researchers, platforms and other organisations working in the public interest. It also creates opportunities to contribute expertise, data, tools, distribution and funding to strengthen the response.

To be part of the coalition, click here for more information.