The 2024 General Elections are just hours away in South Africa, with scores of South Africans ready to cast their votes.
As registered voters prepare to have their say in which party will run the country, law enforcement is gearing up to ensure the day runs smoothly.
According to the SAPS, the necessary planning for the safety and security of the 2024 General Elections has been finalised, with the operational phase officially commencing on Wednesday, 29 May 2024, and continuing until 9 June 2024.
During the risk assessment, it was highlighted that through the Operational Intelligence Co-ordination Committee (OICC), a number of high-risk voting stations and potentially volatile areas have been identified and are being monitored on an ongoing basis.
“Deployments are subsequently proportional to the level of risk identified through intensified operations, informed by thorough analysis and intelligence-based reports. Threats identified such as community protests are already being attended to and those that are found to be in contravention of the law are being dealt with. Our Public Order Policing Units are on the ground and are ready to prevent and combat any such incidents,” said South African Police Service Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikil during a recent media briefing.
From Wednesday, 27 May 2024, until the announcement of the results, there will be static SAPS deployments at voting stations, escorting of voter material and IEC staff, securing of election warehouses, transportation of voting material, and the enforcement of the Electoral Act.
During the voting days, the role of law enforcement agencies will be to:
- Maintain law and order.
- Providing escorts to voting stations and warehouses.
- Accompanying mobile voting stations.
- Ensure no firearms and dangerous weapons are allowed at voting stations.
- Assist presiding officers by removing anyone who fails to comply with rules that infringe on the rights of voters within the voting station.
- Assist the presiding officer to ensure no political activity takes place within the boundaries of the voting station.
- Assist the presiding officer in removing any person behaving in an inappropriate and undesirable manner from the voting station.
- Ensuring that those who have been banned from the voting station (for any unbecoming behaviour) do not attempt to enter the voting station.
- Accompany the presiding officer to deliver ballot boxes and other election material to the counting station.
- Ensuring the voting station and surroundings are secure by assisting presiding officers with monitoring the boundaries of the voting station.
- Ensuring that no person except the voters or authorised persons is allowed to enter or remain within the boundaries of the voting station.
- Assisting to ensure safety and security at the voting station prevails until the counting and wrapping up procedures have been completed.
- Assisting the presiding officer in enforcing the electoral code of conduct in respect of the following: Undue influence, Impersonation, Intentional false statements, Infringement of secrecy
Additionally, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe explained that additional Public Order Policing (POP) members are being deployed to different parts of KwaZulu Natal and Mthatha in the Eastern Cape to bolster law enforcement agency deployments and intensify crime combatting efforts in the two provinces.
Moreover, Newcastle Community Policing Forum (CPF) Chairperson Ismaeel Dhalech noted that the CPF would be out on the ground in full force from Wednesday to assist law enforcement in ensuring a peaceful election. According to the CPF, together with its strategic stakeholders, the CPF wishes to ensure necessary safety and security measures are in place.
“This comes after risk assessment warnings have been communicated from SAPS, security companies and other security role players,” explained the CPF in a statement.
Additionally, the CPF highlighted that it and law enforcement entities are fully prepared for the day and are encouraging residents to take note of the following to ensure a smooth election:
- Be prepared for possible disruptions.
- Stay informed about local developments.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Report any suspicious activity.
- Share vital information accurately without any delay.
- Verify information before sharing.
According to the SAPS, one of the biggest current threats is fake news. “We urge members of the public to fact-check first before sharing anything on social media platforms. Those who are found to be sharing inflammatory messages and inciting violence will be charged accordingly,” noted the SAPS.
With this in mind, the Newcastle CPF is calling on residents to avoid creating panic and to refrain from spreading rumours and unverified information, as this wastes resources that could focus on the situations at hand.
Encouraging residents to support law enforcement over the election period, the CPF noted that in an emergency, residents can contact the following CPF members for assistance:
- Ismaeel on 072 136 7677.
- Asif on 065 879 2316
- Jan on 076 279 3422
- Mohamed on 079 077 8786
- Belinda on 071 404 3575
- Theunis on 083 651 1989
- Shokat on 084 400 2154
- Brian on 063 130 6867
- Yusuf on 072 897 6747
As voters prepare to cast their votes, it is essential to remember that Newcastillians should support law enforcement during this time and ensure law and order prevail.
Be sure to get to the voting stations tomorrow and play your role in South Africa’s future, every vote counts.
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