Cape Town - Police in the Western Cape have reassured voters of their safety as they get ready to cast their ballots with less than a week until the elections.
At a provincial parade in Belhar yesterday, operational members received their marching orders from SAPS provincial management, who said there will be boots on the ground with their sights set on public safety throughout the election process.
Provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile said they were ready to support the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC).
“Ours is to ensure that everybody is safe and that everybody exercises his or her rights freely as they go to and from from the polling stations.
“We are in full force out there to ensure that there is a peaceful and safe environment during the election period,” said Patekile.
There are 1 572 polling stations in Western Cape, with 49 deemed highrisk, while 475 are medium-risk.
Without divulging the stations, Patekile said high-risk polling stations were identified for inter-political intolerance and criminality, among others.
He said a minimum of six members were required for each polling place in the high-risk category; four for the medium-risk category; and two members will be stationed in low-risk areas.
“Within polling stations, we have reaction teams that will react and respond to any eventualities within those polling stations,” Patekile said.
“We urge communities to respect the law. We ask them to work with us as we are out there to enforce the law.”
A team of detectives have also been assigned to respond to any crimes relating to the elections.
Other entities such as law enforcement, metro police, the SANDF and Correctional Services also form part of the safety operations.
Patekile said the safety plan would be operational from Monday.
Western Cape electoral officer, Michael Hendrickse, said security at offices had been beefed-up.
“We have stepped up our security and with assistance from the SAPS, all of our material is being guarded and will arrive safely at the voting station. (It will) also be returned once voting is completed,” he said.
A voting management device was stolen a few weeks ago following a break-in at an IEC office in Caledon, but it was retrieved and the suspects arrested.
“This was a couple of weeks ago before we heightened our security before any materials arrived,” Hendrickse said.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen said every person eligible to vote must be able to make it safely to a voting station.