As a network of organised Civil Society Organisations (comprised of Faith-Based Organisations, Community-Based Organisations, and Non-Governmental Organisations in different parts of South Africa) made up of the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council, the South African Democracy Election Network, and others supported by AHEAD Africa co-funded by European Union and by the Kagiso Trust and SADRA; we have deployed 5000 specially trained Conflict Mediators in several Voting Districts identified by Election Monitors, the Electoral Commission, and the South African Police as hotspots nationwide to defuse possible electoral conflict and promote compliance with the Electoral Code of Conduct.
We will never forget the inspiring images of voters and candidates inside voting stations today and in private homes on Monday and Tuesday Special Votes days.
We are encouraged by the large number of Special Votes casted and encouraged the general population to keep up the momentum. We urge voters to go and vote before dark to prevent long lines by closing time at 9pm.
We noted the slow processing of voters in various stations nationwide due to technical problems with the voting machines and other logistical delays. However, we are inspired by the patience of the jubilant voters waiting to vote.
We are concerned about the continued protests and other disruptive behaviour in different parts of the country that led to the delays in the opening of voting stations. Our conflict mediation practitioners are in continuous contact with community leaders and various stakeholders in some of the affected communities with an immediate focus on several key priorities – including in Mthatha (EC), Nyanga and Phillipi (WC), and Midlands (KZN).
We must avoid spillover of the conflict emanating from service delivery protests and other matters not directly related to the conducting of elections.
We are concerned about the recent complaints about loansharks that are withholding Identity Cards for indebted citizens and thus preventing them from voting. We warn that withholding IDs is a crime. We appeal to those loansharks and other implicated individuals and institutions to release the IDs immediately for citizens to vote today.
We are aware of the depressed economy and the consequences that have led the poor to surrender their IDs and SASSA social grant cards as security for credit. This disproportionately affects women who are often household heads and breadwinners.
We warn citizens against spreading and propagating of false information in social media as that could negatively influence the running and outcome of these elections.
We advise citizens who had applied to IDs to collect them from the nearest Home Affairs offices and proceed to vote.
We thank all stakeholders for constructive engagement to facilitate voting and to make the this election day a memorable experience for all.
There is no time to lose. Every moment counts.
Thank you.