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Researchers find fake accounts surge before local elections

Published

The Centre for Information Integrity in Africa says it has found sock puppet accounts and coordinated posts aimed at manipulating voters. One TikTok account promoting the Freedom Front Plus has around 510,000 followers and nearly 11 million likes.

Researcher Yossabel Chetty said the group saw nearly identical comments from many accounts that promoted political parties. She described comments on a post about a mayoral candidate as "a bit copy-and-paste".

Chetty said the account called the Somandla Institute promotes the Freedom Front Plus and also posts divisive and conspiratorial racial messaging. She said the party told researchers it did not know who was behind the account.

Chetty also said the account pointed people to an AI-powered election information tool called Wardbeat. She said a quick check found that Wardbeat lacks public CIPC registration and transparent ownership.

Key facts

Who
Yossabel Chetty (researcher at the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa); Lester Kiewit (CapeTalk presenter); Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (research organisation); Freedom Front Plus (political party)
What
Researchers from the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa have identified a rise in fake online activity, including sock puppet accounts, disinformation campaigns, and coordinated posts designed to manipulate voters ahead of local government elections. They have identified signs of coordinated campaigns intended to manipulate certain communities, including nearly identical comments from…
When
8 October 2026
Where
South Africa
Status
Reported

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