Approximately 350 private security firms nationwide will support the government in implementing its security strategy for the upcoming general elections.
Security strategy implemented for upcoming elections
The Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security Cluster revealed on Sunday the implementation of a strategy to monitor high-risk areas during elections.
The national joint operational and intelligence structure formulated the plan, drawing upon an analysis of threats and crime patterns.
Fouché Burgers, the executive project manager of Business Against Crime South Africa, emphasised the importance of collaboration between private security firms and the police before the elections.
“It is extremely important, this whole collaboration and partnership with the police and we are really in the hands of police to request assistance and they constantly do.”
According to Eyewitness News, private security personnel will be tasked with patrolling and maintaining a visible presence in hotspot areas as part of their responsibilities.
If situations escalate and arrests become necessary, private security will relay information to the police for appropriate action.
Police claim that out of the almost 24,000 voting stations, 500 have been identified as high risk.
Private security companies in Gauteng will deploy nearly 20 helicopters to offer police an aerial perspective in hotspot regions. Additionally, drones will be utilized for surveillance purposes.
Voting overseas and uncollected ID – 29 days to the polls
It has been confirmed that all preparations are in place for South Africans residing overseas to participate in the upcoming elections.
Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor assured that embassy and consulate arrangements are proceeding as usual, with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation fully prepared for citizens abroad to vote on 17 and 18 May.
According to the Daily Maverick, The only remaining matter concerns the utilization of honorary consuls as voting stations, which is currently under review by the Constitutional Court.
Honorary consuls are individuals appointed to represent South Africa in a friendly capacity but do not hold the status of an official mission of the republic.
The Constitutional Court is tasked with deciding the Electoral Court’s ruling that consulates led by honorary consuls should serve as voting stations.
All South African citizens must present their identity documents to participate in the elections. Starting on 6 April, the Department of Home Affairs has extended its office hours on Saturdays from 8:00 to 13:00 to allow voters to apply for new ID documents and temporary identity certificates and collect them.
Additionally, these offices will remain open on voting day.
The department intends to establish mobile offices for remote areas lacking official Home Affairs offices. However, these mobile offices’ specific dates, times, and locations have yet to be confirmed.
According to Business Day, the North West University’s policy uncertainty index, South Africa’s policy uncertainty index slightly declined into negative territory during the first quarter.
This shift was attributed to growing uncertainty surrounding the dynamics and potential outcomes of South Africa’s 2024 elections next month, which has begun to impact investor confidence and financial markets.
Geopolitical risks also influenced the index during the first quarter, contributing to a slight increase in policy uncertainty from 65.5 in the fourth quarter to 65.8 in the first quarter of 2024.
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