Voting Day: personal safety tips to remember
Be attentive to your surroundings when you make your way to the polling booth as well as on the way back home.
Registered voters across South Africa will head to their closest voting station in a few days to make their marks in the 2021 municipal elections.
The IEC said just more than 23 000 voting stations will be open between 08:00 and 17:00 on November 1, while special votes will be cast on October 30 and 31.
“If you are making your way to go and vote on the day, please remember these basic safety measures to ensure you exercise your right to vote safely and securely,” said Charnel Hattingh, head of marketing and communications at Fidelity ADT.
Step one, she said, is to remember to lock up properly when you leave home.
“Most voting stations are located at schools or community centres in suburbs. The fact that you are just walking a few 100m down the road to the closest school to go and vote does not mean you don’t need to worry about your security gates,” she said.
“Make sure your doors and windows are closed and locked properly and arm your security system before you leave.”
Hattingh recommended leaving any flashy jewellery or other expensive electronic devices or assets at home.
“Remember to take your ID card or other documents the IEC may require from you to cast your vote,” she said.
If you are driving to the polling station, there is advice for you to remember.
“Don’t leave valuable items in your car and you should make sure your car is securely locked before you walk away,” said Hattingh.
“The same kind of personal safety measures you would remember when parking at a mall or leaving your car parked outside in the street at night are also applicable on voting day when you park outside the voting station.”
The SAPS will have a presence at all voting stations, and Hattingh recommended you ask for their help if there is anything or anyone that makes you feel uncomfortable or suspicious on the day.
“Lastly, be attentive to your surroundings when you make your way to the polling booth as well as on the way back home. Keep an eye out for anyone that is possibly following you, and call for assistance from the SAPS or your security company if you feel unsafe,” she said.
“It is always a good idea to keep contact numbers for local police or security companies saved onto your phone so you can get in touch with them quickly in case of an emergency.”
Hattingh said even though the day has been declared a public holiday, the company’s armed response officers will still be on duty to patrol streets and suburbs.
