Four provinces categorised as high risk ahead of 1 November polls, says Bheki Cele

The other five provinces had pockets of problems, “but these four top provinces have been giving us problems”, Police Minister Bheki Cele said at a briefing on Monday. 

All the other provinces would be categorised as either low or medium risk. 

Law enforcement agencies will be deployed to all voting stations according to their risk classification, said Cele. 

In Gauteng, the hotspots had been restricted to Tshwane, in areas such as Atteridgeville, Mamelodi, Winterveld and Mabopane.

To illustrate the political violence that has gripped Tshwane, Cele referred to the recent murder of ANC councillor Tshepo Motaung. 

Motaung was the councillor for Ward 22 in Mabopane. 

When asked how many police officers and police reservists would be on standby and deployed next Monday, Cele refused to provide numbers. “We’ve said that there would be adequate policing, we’re not going to give numbers.”

Low-risk areas would obviously have less policing, whereas high-risk areas would have more, he added. 

Defence Minister Thandi Modise, who was also at the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS) ministers briefing, said the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) was working tirelessly to ensure voters will be able to exercise their right to vote on 1 November. 

Natjoints will be on standby to support the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Modise reminded South Africans that “criminality will not be tolerated before, during and after the elections”. 

Both Modise and Cele emphasised that although citizens had the right to protest, they did not have the right to infringe on people’s right to vote.

Modise also urged all political leaders not to make inflammatory statements and to adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct, which was signed by all the parties contesting the elections. 

To help voters who have lost their IDs, 197 Home Affairs branches across the country have extended their operating hours. They will be open from 7am to 9pm leading up to the election and on the election day, said Modise.

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that where branches were hit with load shedding generators would be used so that operations are not disrupted. DM

[hearken id="daily-maverick/8798"]