IEC says no ‘no-go areas’ reported in KZN ahead of local elections
KwaZulu-Natal election officials have strengthened conflict-resolution structures and trained stakeholders to respond to disputes and tensions ahead of voting day.
The Electoral Commission (IEC) in South Africa has reported no incidents of "no-go areas" ahead of the local government elections scheduled for November 4 in KwaZulu-Natal province. The IEC, which oversees the elections, has implemented conflict-resolution structures and security measures to address potential tensions that might arise before or during voting.
KwaZulu-Natal is set to contest 2,166 seats with 26,497 candidates from various political parties and independents participating. Ntombifuthi Masinga, the KwaZulu-Natal Electoral Officer, stated that no reports of no-go areas have been received. She added that 111 political parties and 104 independent candidates are contesting the elections in the province.
In a bid to maintain peace during the elections, 17 parties that contested all wards in KwaZulu-Natal signed the Electoral Code of Conduct in Durban. IEC KZN manager Dr Khulekani Zulu revealed that the commission has trained various groups involved in the electoral process, including municipal officials, conflict-resolution coordinators, and SAPS electoral contingency team members.
To deal with potential disputes and tensions, the IEC has appointed 11 regional conflict coordinators and 41 conflict-resolution panelists across the province’s local municipalities. These individuals will work on the ground to identify, assess, and address electoral disputes before they escalate. The provincial electoral officer and the premier have also reactivated a multi-party political intervention committee to mitigate tensions between parties.
The IEC is set to use the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban as its results operations center from October 30 to November 8. SAPS KwaZulu-Natal assured that police would be deployed to handle any incidents that could threaten the elections. Brigadier Frank Saunders, representing Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner Major-General Anthony Gopal, emphasized that the police are aligned with the Electoral Code of Conduct and are operationally ready to enforce it with professionalism, impartiality, and integrity.
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