By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena said the Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (PROVJOINTS), which is jointly led by the South African Police Service (SAPS), the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the State Security Agency (SSA), is confident and want to assure the millions of registered voters in the province that proper and adequate safety, health and security measures and interventions, are in place to enable the IEC to deliver free, fair and credible National and Provincial Elections 2024.
Kwena was addressing the media at the Provincial Disaster Management in Mahikeng on 27 May 2024. He said following months of preparations, the PROVJOINTS as the Operational component of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS), has developed and is ready to actualize a Security Strategy and Operational Plan that coordinate and integrates all the resources, capabilities under one Joint Operational Command to create a safe, secure and conducive environment for the IEC to do its work and for eligible registered voters to exercise their right to vote without fear of violence or harm from human or natural disasters or threats.
“As committed and in line with the PROVJOINTS Operational Plan, officers and members are deployed to discharge their various elections related tasks starting with the Special Votes days at 1698 voting stations across the province for 136 639 walking-in votes and 43 526 home visits.
“The Provincial Joint Operational Centre (PROVJOC) is operating and coordinating Election Security Plan through five District JOCs, which have been activated and will remain operational until the IEC has announced the final results and officially closed its Results Operations Centre,” he said.
Kwena further said the Joint Operations Centres serve as Central, Command and Coordination points for the reporting of incidents or possible emergencies in order to ensure swift, prompt and coordinated response. He added that the Operational Intelligence Coordination Committee (OICC), has already categorised and identified the risks of the voting stations to ensure that there is constant monitoring of those considered to be volatile.
“The exercise also assisted in the number of proportionate static deployments needed per voting district / station. It is still important to emphasise that, despite all these preparations by the PROVJOINTS, without support and cooperation of all the citizens/inhabitants and political parties of mutual respect and tolerance and respect for the rule of law and specifically the Constitution of the Republic Bill of Rights the holding of free, fair and credible elections will be comprised.
“Let us remember that, all participating political parties have signed the Electoral Code of Conduct and a Pledge to abide by the Electoral Act. We are therefore confident that leaders, members and supporters are ready to work with the PROVJOINTS to make sure that the elections are held in a peaceful, safe and secure environment,” said Kwena.
He said while the PROVJOINTS is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring a safe and secure, conducive environment for the free, fair and credible elections, this is in fact everyone’s duty and responsibility as a patriotic South African and not the IEC’s or JOINTS task alone.
Kwena said the PROVJOINTS therefore calls upon all peace loving, responsible and patriotic South Africans and inhabitants of the North West from Dikgosi, Faith Based Organisations, Private Securities, Different Political formations and parties, the entire Civil Society and Community Police Forum (CPF) to work with the South African Police Service and other Law Enforcement Agencies to avoid unnecessary disruptions, violent protests and general lawlessness that may impede or jeopardise the 2024 National and Provincial elections.
“The PROVJOINTS is aware of and is closely monitoring the situation at identified hotspots or potential violence flashpoints where reports of attempts to influence or intimidate the community to stay away from elections and thus to disrupt or stop the elections.
“Any protest about lack of or poor delivery of basic services that result in, intimidation and threats damage to critical infrastructure, barricading of roads will be dealt with decisively by the police,” he said.
Picture: The law enforcement agencies ready for elections
TaungDailyNews 