President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the deployment of SANDF soldiers to assist police preserve law and order during the election period.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said last night that Ramaphosa has informed the National Assembly that 2 828 members of the SANDF will be employed for service in co-operation with the SAPS for the prevention and combating of crime and for the maintenance and preservation of law and order during the national and provincial elections.
“President Ramaphosa has informed the acting Speaker of the National Assembly and the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces that the employment of SANDF personnel will form part of Operation Prosper and applies from May 20 to June 7, 2024.
“This employment is authorised in accordance with the provisions of Section 201(2) (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996, read with Section 19 of the Defence Act of 2002 (Act No 42 of 2002).
“The expenditure for this employment is estimated at R59 451 704,” Magwenya said.
The deployment of soldiers coincides with the increased police presence in KwaZulu-Natal ahead of Wednesday’s provincial and national elections in an effort to beef-up security and deal with any threats that might surface as millions of voters are expected to cast their votes.
Provincial commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said on Tuesday that up to 3 000 additional officers had been deployed to the province after recent incidents that heightened tensions.
The teams include elite members of the police, the Public Order Police (POP), Tactical Response Unit (TRT), various task forces and the National Intervention Unit (NIU).
“The Mercury” on Tuesday also visited the control centre where police officers, the SANDF, metro police and other law enforcement agencies have based their co-ordination centre to deal with any threats across the province.
The additional deployment by SAPS comes after several concerning security incidents.
At the weekend, members of the MK Party breached a facility where election material was stored by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), and the IFP on Monday said its leader and provincial candidate for premier, Thami Ntuli, was accosted by armed people claiming to be members of the police.
Mkhwanazi said areas that are considered to be hot spots or low-risk would be continuously assessed, describing the situation as “fluid”.
“We have not seen many incidents, people have been tolerating each other and (Monday’s voting) happened smoothly without any interruptions.
“Today, we dispatched a group of officers that are going to the north of our province to support the other police officers that are there in order to be able to secure the elections (in Zululand).
“We are confident that in eThekwini we have more than enough personnel (law enforcement officers) that will help us secure the election process,” he said.
Mkhwanazi said that they had agreed with the IEC that any movement of election material has to take place under police guard and should not be moved until an escort could be provided.
The elections are expected to be highly competitive, with at least three parties – the IFP, the ANC and the EFF – having launched their national party manifestos at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The resurgence of the IFP and the emergence of the MK Party have also posed a serious threat to the ANC being able to retain its majority.
Several provincial leaders will be voting across the province n Wednesday, including IFP leader Thami Ntuli and MK Party leader Jacob Zuma, who will make their marks at separate venues in Nkandla.
IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa will vote in KwaHlabisa, ANC leader Siboniso Duma will vote at the Kloof Methodist Church, and EFF provincial leader Mongezi Twala is expected to vote at the Durban City Hall.
DA leader John Steenhuisen will vote in Durban North on Wednesday, while DA premier candidate Chris Pappas voted in Howick and EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini in uMhlanga on Tuesday.
On workers being allowed their right to vote, Cosatu’s provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize said employers must not force their workers to work overtime on election day as the trade union continues to motivate for the day, in the future, to become a non-trading holiday.
“We have noted instances where farmworkers and retailers compel workers to be at work on election day and make it difficult for workers to go to voting stations. If employers want workers to work they must ensure that they leave early and provide transport so they can go to their voting stations to vote.”
Those who want to apply for temporary identity documents on Wednesday will be able to visit the Department of Home Affairs offices until 9pm.
National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) chairperson Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili announced earlier this week during an update on measures in place for the national general elections that Home Affairs offices will close at the same time as voting stations on May 29.
The weather conditions will also play their part on election day, with the SA Weather Service (Saws) forecaster Wiseman Dlamini saying that KZN will have “beautiful” weather with clear conditions and no rain predicted.
He said Durban will experience a maximum temperature of 24, Ladysmith 25, Pietermaritzburg 29, with highs of 22 in Drakensberg, Giant’s Castle and Kokstad.
| Additional reporting by Karen Singh and Yogashen Pillay.
The Mercury