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50 signatures reached
To: Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)
No to electioneering based on Hate Speech (language that incites violence).
The IEC must:
a. Supervise the election campaigns of political parties.
b. Ensure that all political parties, their agents and candidates adhere to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Code of Conduct aimed at promoting "conditions that are conducive to free and fair elections" and that create a climate of tolerance, free political campaigning, and open public debate.
c. Promote community participation in monitoring elections.
d. Ensure that no political parties, their agents and candidates should use Hate Speech to anyone, including asylum seekers, refugees and migrants to gain public votes ahead of the elections.
Disqualification and other tough penalties should apply to all political parties’ candidates or independent candidates, found guilty of using hate speech to gain public votes.
Any member of the public who suspect that a party or a candidate has breached the Electoral Code of Conduct, you need to report the incident to the Electoral Court. The Secretary of the Court can be contacted at the following telephone number: 051 412-7400.
Link: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/Parties-And-Candidates/The-Electoral-Code-Of-Conduct
President Cyril Ramaphosa proclaimed the 29th May 2024 as the general elections date which the parties, their agents and candidates commit to adhering to the provisions of the Electoral Code of Conduct until the election results are officially announced.
Why is this important?
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