This interim report presents the findings of the election coverage monitoring conducted on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) during the period, 4 August to 4 October, 2026 ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections. The monitoring is being undertaken by Moxii Africa, formerly known as Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), an organisation dedicated to promoting media accountability, ethical journalism, freedom of expression, and democratic participation across Africa.

Through its media monitoring initiatives, Moxii Africa seeks to assess the extent to which media institutions contribute to the provision of accurate, balanced, and diverse information, particularly during periods of significant democratic importance such as elections.

As South Africa's public broadcaster, SABC occupies a pivotal position within the country's democratic landscape. The broadcaster operates under a statutory obligation established by Section 6 of the Broadcasting Act (No. 4 of 1999) and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) Electoral Code of Conduct. Under these provisions, the SABC is legally mandated to provide universal access, deliver fair and impartial news, reflect national and regional diversity across all official language groups, and offer comprehensive, public-centered coverage that enables informed voting choices.

To critically evaluate whether the SABC is upholding this public interest charter, this report interrogates four core analytical questions: Universal Access & Geographic Equity, Public-Centered Substantive Discourse, Inclusive Sourcing & Diversity, and Procedural vs. Substantive Neutrality.

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