1. Hate Speech, incited by political parties is prevalent in South Africa and it fuels xenophobia in communities despite the IEC Code of Conduct forbidding such acts. 2. The Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill protects all people in South Africa against hate crimes and hate speech, particularly those based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any other form of discrimination. 3. No political parties, their agencies or candidates should scapegoat migrants for their failures for service delivery in an attempt to rally public votes. 4. Hatred, racial discrimination, racism and other intolerances by any members of the political parties, their agencies or candidates is totally unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. 5. Hate speech challenges the dignity of others and causes harm. 6. The Independent Electoral Commission Code of Conduct prohibits political parties and candidates to: - Using language which provokes violence; - Intimidation of candidates or voters; - And publishing false information about other candidates or parties. etc 7. Various media houses reported on Hate Speech stemming from political parties who are scapegoating migrants for their failures to run the country: Despite the IEC’s efforts to combat hate speech towards elections through its Code of Conduct, hate speech still lingers from political parties, their members and individuals which needs to be addressed. We need free and fair elections that are devoid of using hate speech to gain public support. References [1] https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/pa-spurns-sahrcs-hate-speech-claims-against-mckenzie-as-it-doubles-down-on-xenophobic-stance-20230420 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/sep/26/south-africa-anti-migrant-vigilante-operation-dudula-registers-as-party-2024-elections