Viral Social Media Post Claims Illegal Candidate in Gqeberha, IEC Sets Record Straight

• A viral social media post falsely claimed that an “illegal Somalian” is contesting as an independent candidate in Ward 6, Ezibeleni, Gqeberha
• The IEC has confirmed the post is misleading and clarified that the only upcoming Eastern Cape by-election is on 18 March 2026, with a South African citizen as thesole independent candidate
• The commission urged the public not to share unverified content and reminded citizens that only verified South African candidates can contest elections

A shocking social media post has been making the rounds, claiming that an “illegal Somalian” is running for office in Ward 6, Ezibeleni, Gqeberha, and it has ignited outrage and confusion online.

Shared widely by PSA Live, the post not only alleges the candidate is a foreign national but also points to blue and white campaign colours as proof of Somali origins. But before the claims go viral any further, the IEC has stepped in to set the record straight.

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IEC confirms the post is false

The IEC has responded, clarifying that the post contains false and misleading information. There is currently no by-election scheduled in Gqeberha, and the only upcoming Eastern Cape by-election is on 18 March 2026, where the sole independent candidate is Mr Sibusiso Mpofu.

The IEC emphasised that to contest a by-election in South Africa, candidates must:

• Be a South African citizen
• Be 18 years or older
• Hold a valid South African ID
• Be registered to vote in the relevant municipality

These requirements are verified through the Candidate Nomination System and the Voters’ Roll, ensuring that no unverified individual can participate.

Public is advised to verify information

The IEC urged the public not to share unverified content that undermines trust in electoral processes. The misspelling of “Gqeberha” as “Qheberha” in the post further raises questions about its credibility.

“The IEC takes the integrity of every election seriously,” the commission said, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring free and fair elections.

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Social media comments

Although some people fell for the fake poster, lamenting corruption in South Africa, many X users pointed out the incorrect spelling in the poster and the fact that the town mentioned doesn’t exist, calling on the IEC to investigate.

@IviweEkitike commented:

"There’s no place called Ezibeleni in Gqeberha that’s Queenstown."

@JimmyKgosi wrote:

"Mission accomplished To those who called for open borders and Pan-African."

@XolaniMamkeli said:

"This person has some nerve. I'm not sure how IEC allowed this? It is yet to be verified."

@MSSM16KGB stated:

"While our pass rate is 30%. The youth is jiving to Mark Zuckerberg and drinking savanna. One day you will regret, and it will be too late."

@62Lulamamavuso1 said:

"No, it doesn't work like that. He doesn't qualify to compete in our political space."

Articles on the IEC

• Briefly News reported that the Independent Electoral Commission is in talks with the National Treasury to increase its budget as it harbours concerns that there may only be one voter registration weekend for the 2026 Local Government Elections. The commission said they would ideally have hoped for two voter registration weekends.
• The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said it was beset with a myriad of challenges during the 2024 general elections, including court cases, glitches, and misinformation.
• The IEC disclosed that the Democratic Alliance received more than R32 million in the first quarter of the year, compared to the ANC, which received over R7 million.

Source: Briefly News