Elections 2024: 27 cases under investigation

We are ready for Wednesday.

That’s the message police deputy national commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili said yesterday as the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) prepared to ensure everyone has the democratic right to exercise their vote in a peaceful, safe and secure environment.

Mosikili said 27 cases were under investigation relating to the elections, including the contravention of the Electoral Act, the contravention of the Firearms Control Act, the contravention of the Gatherings Act, attempted murder cases and malicious damage to property, assault GBH and vandalism and removal of posters.

Second phase of election plan

“We are now entering the second phase of our 2024 national and provincial elections operational plan.

“A sensitive and critical stage of our operations which requires us to heighten police visibility and ensure more boots are on the ground in all corners of the country,” she said.

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“We will not tolerate any incitement of violence on any platforms. Our intelligence communities and cybercrime units are closely monitoring online users. You are warned not to step out of line,” she said.

Mosikili said they were monitoring over 632 high-risk voting stations and had a distribution plan in place. The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) chief joint operations Lieutenant-General Siphiwe Sangweni said the SANDF was on standby to assist and respond with the SA Police Service (Saps) and cluster entities, if and when needed. Sangweni said the SANDF has been deployed during past elections.

“They’ll come in when it’s a necessity, and we always carry our weapons and ammunition in all security cluster functions. We’re the defence of the people by the people and for the people,” he said.

Police ‘geared up for elections’

Rural criminologist Dr Witness Maluleke said the readiness of the local politicians and police was crystal clear.

“Police seem to be geared up for the elections. Their pre-, during and post-election plans, are very sound, however, the nation is ready to witness the implementation processes, which will determine the societal evaluation of safety and security measures to be inducted and realities pertaining to the smooth running of the anticipated elections,” he said.

Worry after results have been announced

Criminologist Prof Jaco Barkhuizen said one would hope police and Natjoints were ready.

“What we have been seeing in the news, flaring up of political violence, especially between the ANC and EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters] which is strange. KwaZulu-Natal is always a hotbed for political violence,” he said.

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“It’s not voting time that should be a worry but rather when the results are released and certain parties did not do as well as they hoped. It is worrying how the supporters would react.”

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said the people were more ready than ever before. “The IEC has most of the infrastructure and logistics of process in place, so far so good,” he said.