Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise has established a task team to deal with election-related crimes.
The minister, who addressed a Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster media briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, issued a stern warning to any person who intends to destabilise the upcoming elections.
Dubbed the biggest elections since 1994, voting has become tightly contested with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) saying it has called on the SAPS to probe possible signature fraud against the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) following allegation of alleged fraudulent submissions of signatures to register the party with the commission.
Bheki Cele, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, and International Relations Minister, Naledi Pandor attended the briefing.
The minister said her team has established a task team to deal with criminality to ensure that the elections are as free and fair as promised by the IEC.
The minister has mobilised law-enforcement agencies to be on the look-out for trouble makers.
“As the government, we want to issue a stern warning to anyone with intentions to disrupt the elections that law enforcement officers will deal with them decisively and will put them behind bars.
“We want to assure the public of the readiness of the JCPS - Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster - to execute its mandate of protecting the public, our country’s strategic installations and infrastructure during the election period. We will do everything in our power to protect all those who want to exercise their Constitutional right to vote,” the minister said.
The minister urged members of the community and all South Africans to report any election-related-crime to their nearest police station or their nearest IEC offices. The department has mobilised all other relevant stakeholders to ensure that all election-related crimes are dealt with in real time and as they happen.
This, she said, will be done alongside the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), SAPS and other agencies.
“A protocol has been established between the department of justice and constitutional development, SAPS and the NPA. To prioritise all election-related crimes. Prosecutors will stand by to prosecute offences such as electoral fraud and corruption. Removing and defacing political party and campaigning. Interfering with the duties of electoral officers
Minister Motsoaledi said Home Affairs offices across the country have extended working hours, including Saturdays in preparation. This was done for those applying for the re-issue of their identity documents and related problems.
“As long as the voting stations are still open, all Home Affairs offices, will on election day all remain open. Any person who might have a mishap with their ID, will have a right to go to any home affairs office to collect a temporary identification certificate,” Motsoaledi added.
Saturday Star