Doha:South Africa’s law enforcement agencies are maintaining a heightened state of alert as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) continues the task of counting, reconciling, verifying, and capturing the results of the Local Government Elections held on Wednesday.
According to South African Government News Agency, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, co-chairperson of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), briefed the media on Thursday evening. He emphasized the ongoing operational responsibility to protect voting materials, secure results operations, and safeguard the integrity of the results management process. NATJOINTS remains committed to maintaining its security posture until the 2026 Local Government Elections period is officially concluded.
Mosikili highlighted that despite challenges and incidents, the operational response of the Security Cluster was marked by preparedness, discipline, and determination. He reflected on Voting Day, noting that coordinated deployment and decisive interventions ensured a conducive environment with minimal disruptions.
Law enforcement adopted an intelligence-led and risk-informed approach, focusing on hotspots in KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng. Provincial Commissioners, national Directors-General, and other senior officials provided strategic leadership to manage identified risks effectively, allowing voters to exercise their democratic rights while maintaining law and order.
Mosikili noted that planned marches and protests did not materialize, and there was no widespread disruption compromising the electoral process. Operational, logistical, and service delivery challenges at certain voting stations were addressed by law enforcement to facilitate the continuation of the voting process. The capturing and verification of results are ongoing.