The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is appealing to communities to protest in a peaceful manner and respect the rights of others to exercise their right to vote.
IEC Chairperson Glen Mashinini says the institution is concerned about violent service delivery protests that seem to escalate during the election period in an attempt to put pressure on government for speedy resolution of grievances.
Earlier on Thursday during a protest in Caledon, police allegedly shot and killed two protesters.
Addressing the Cape Town Press Club, Mashinini has also called for restraint by law enforcement agencies.
“Because elections are a high profile activity, people use that platform to raise publicity to their cause, and that’s fine in a democracy, only to an extent that it can end up transgressing the rights of others.”
“We do appeal to all South Africans that let’s stick to the rules of democracy.”
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