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The chairpersons of the Portfolio Committee on Police and Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs have welcomed assurances by the Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security Cluster that a coordinated and intelligence-led planning and operations are in place to secure the 2024 provincial and national elections. The plan covers before, during, and after elections.
 
The chairpersons are of the firm view that a secure election process is central to ensuring and protecting a thriving democracy. “It is important that operations are intelligence led to ensure that threats are dealt with swiftly. Also of importance is the collaboration with communities through the sharing of information to enable the security agencies to respond timeously,” Mr Nocks Seabi, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police.
 
The chairpersons also highlighted the importance of the existence of a deployment plan that is fit-for-purpose to respond to potential threats of crime and violence especially around voting stations and national and provincial results centres. Furthermore, the chairpersons highlighted the need to ensure that the plan is adequately implemented and that the rights of all citizens to a secure environment is protected.
 
It must also be reiterated that while the right to protest, picket and to petition is protected by the Constitution, those rights must be exercised within the prescripts of the law. “Law enforcement agencies must also ensure that the right to vote must also be protected and those that violate other citizens’ rights must be prosecuted,” Mr Seabi emphasised. In line with this, Mr Seabi welcomed the assurance that a protocol has been established between the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the South African Police Service, Detectives, and the National Prosecuting Authority to prioritise all election related crimes.
 
Meanwhile, the chairpersons embraced the guarantee that the Department of Home Affairs will continue opening its offices from 08h00 to 13h00 on saturdays until 25 May 2024 to enable voters to collect their IDs and apply for Temporary Identity Certificate. “To ensure that the services of the Department of Home Affairs reach the most remote areas, the deployment of mobile offices to certain areas is a welcomed development. We urge the department to share extensive information on where these mobile units will be availed to enable collection of IDs,” said Mr Mosa Chabane, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs.
 
Mr Chabane also reiterated the confidence the committee has in the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to delivering a free and fair election process. The committee this past weekend visited the IEC and was reassured that all processes are in place to deliver the elections. “Our oversight has reaffirmed our confidence that the IEC remains a credible institution to deliver on its constitutional mandate. This safety plan will go a long way in ensuring that the IEC does its work unhindered,” Mr Chabane said. 
The chairpersons reiterated the call by the JCPS cluster Ministers that individuals, independent candidates, and political parties must adhere to the election code of conduct and to desist from any intimidation and vandalism of election materials. The chairpersons emphasised that all South Africans have a responsibility to ensure that these elections are held in an environment that will ensure a free and fair election process.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Nocks Seabi and chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs Mosa Chabane