MBOMBELA – Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza has committed that Mpumalanga province will have smooth local government elections as the provincial government would provide its undivided support to the Electoral Commission.
The Premier and his executive council hosted a delegation from the Electoral Commission on Wednesday in Mbombela led by its Chairperson Glen Mashinini, which is in the province on an outreach programme to give brief on the state of readiness for the upcoming local government elections.
Speaking at the meeting, Premier Mabuza said the provincial government was mindful that the Electoral Commission would be utilizing its institutions such as schools, community hall and churches to run the elections, the provincial government would by all means delver the necessary services at the voting station.
“We will give you our support as the provincial government. We will try by all means to ensure that every voting station is accessibly by grading our roads. We have already activated the legislature to assist mobilise people to go register.
“As a ruling party we are going to contest the elections, we will get our people to come register at your offices, so that they can express their views and choice on the party they prefer.
“We are minimizing conflicts in the province, we have a service delivery model that we are utilizing as our mechanism and an effort to ensure that there is an understand what the provincial government is doing. We are fairly united as a province.
“As a ruling party, it is our responsibility to ensure that there is calmness and that there is peace. We have no fear at all that the Electoral Commission will run smooth elections in our province,” said Mabuza.
He explained that although there were some “negative voices” in the province, he said they would however not distract the election process.
“We are happy that you will also be meeting the traditional leaders, they are gradually taking their space, their voice is becoming heard. We are insisting on them through the support we give to them to continuously interact with the people on matters of development.
“There is that growing understanding from our people, that this journey is long, and that we cannot achieve everything overnight. Indeed we are enjoying a very good relationship with them. Ours is to give you our undivided support on your work,” said Mabuza.
Meanwhile, Electoral Commission CEO Mosotho Moepya said they were continuing to brief registered political parties and electoral stakeholders on the preparations for the local government elections.
