With almost three weeks to the 2024 national elections, Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni says they have identified possible risks of political intolerance which could lead to disruptions during the elections.
Mthombeni briefed members of the Gauteng Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety on police plans to ensure safe and secure May 29th elections.
With 2 797 voting stations spread across Gauteng and many of these in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, extra police personnel will be sent to monitor these areas.
Community safety says police will be closely guarding routes and roads to ensure the safety and security of not just voters, voting stations but also the ballot papers they will be escorting.
“In terms of the situation analysis, Joburg has the largest [number of] voting stations, the IEC gave us a number of 2 799 with an indication that there are two additional voting stations in Joburg. As it stands Joburg has the number 793 followed by Tshwane with 774 and Ekurhuleni with 676 and Sedibeng and West Rand, the deployment will go accordingly,” says HOD at the Department of Community Safety, Nontsikelelo Sisulu.
They have also identified some potential risks to the elections.
“The threats and risk, we are aware there could be public disorder and vandalism. Also, the political party’s intolerance, voting station disruptions, traffic disruptions, protest action as well as possible criminal activities, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear explosives and bombs are not beyond our radar, load shedding and weather,” Sisulu adds.
The Gauteng Police Commissioner says the aim of their briefing was to give confidence and comfort to voters so they can vote feeling safe and free of any form of intimidation.
An inter-governmental policing team has been put together to identify threats and mitigate against them.
“Integrated law enforcement is required to ensure that law and order prevails during the process by means of prevention, combating and investigation of crime as well as maintaining public order as enshrined in section 205 (3) of the constitution,” says Mthombeni.
Their situational and threat analysis identified political intolerance, community protests, gang violence, load shedding as potential threats to the smooth running of the electoral process.
“This is the intelligence wing, which determines risk and mitigates the impact, the IEC also takes part. We have risk probability ratings such as electoral process and political intolerance,” Mthombeni adds.
Law enforcement agencies have been beefed up to ensure a safe and secure election, echoing the sentiments from the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster ministers of taking a no-nonsense approach on the safety and security of voters, voting stations and staff, leading up to the elections.
