Johannesburg - As millions of South Africans head to polling stations today (Wednesday) for what has been billed the most fiercely contested and costliest elections since multiparty democracy in 1994, the police are on high alert for any violent incidents.
Almost 70 000 police officers have been deployed to all the voting stations in the country to safeguard today's local government elections. And the army has been roped in to clamp down on any unruly behaviour, with SANDF helicopters deployed to monitor the elections.
SAPS spokesman Major-General Vuyisile Ngesi did not say how many of the police officers were to be deployed at various areas, saying this would be determined by the dynamics of each area. He also did not want to say which areas they consider to be hotspots.
"We cannot mention the hotspots for security reasons. But we have the situation under control. Most of our work is intelligence driven and so far we are happy with the information," he said, speaking to The Star on Tuesday.
"The SANDF are providing logistical support and we will use their helicopters. Safety and security will be provided by the SAPS with assistance from traffic police and government agencies," Ngesi added.
But Vuwani in Limpopo remains one of the hotspots, after residents vowed to boycott the polls in protest against their municipality's incorporation into the Malamulele municipality by the Municipal Demarcation Board.
A large police contingent and special forces have been deployed to the area to ensure that those who want to exercise their right to vote can do so freely.
On Tuesday, many residents told The Star they would stay away despite the assurances given by the authorities. They said there was no point in voting when their pleas to remain in the Makhado municipality have fallen on deaf ears.
Also in Limpopo, community protests in Mookgophong over service delivery and mining towns where people have staged violent protests are also on the police's radar.
Freedom Park in Joburg is another troubled community after two marquees erected for the elections were razed to the ground on Monday night.
The Electoral Commission of SA replaced them on Tuesday so that special voting could continue to take place.
While the SAPS was evasive in revealing the hotspots, the National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng were the priority areas.
The NPA also announced that it had committed teams of highly experienced prosecutors to work closely with law enforcement agencies responsible for investigating election, public and political violence-related crimes across the country.
National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shaun Abrahams said he was "extremely concerned about the high levels of election, public and politically related violence in our country".
"There is particular focus on incidents which took place in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng," he said, adding that the NDPP was "further perturbed about public statements which are inflammatory in nature and which negatively impact on public peace, order and the security of the Republic.
"This conduct in effect negates the rule of law," Abrahams added.
Wednesdaywas set to be a day of reckoning for political parties that have spent months and millions of rand in election campaigns trying to convince voters to elect their councillors and mayors.
While the parties have been on radio and TV, in newspapers, churches, taxi ranks, taverns and all other spaces where ordinary South Africans can be found, today there will be only one voice that matters: that of the voters.
South Africans can vote at the 22 612 voting stations and 31 mobile stations that have been set up for people to cast their votes.
IEC chairman Glen Mashinini said on Tuesday the commission was ready to conduct the elections and that the special-voting process which started on Monday had proceeded smoothly.
He said the security cluster would be out in full force in various areas, especially those identified as high risk, to ensure people's right to vote was not interfered with.
Election Bureau