Media Release
When is an election free, when is it fair, and when does it provide undisputed credibility? Why is there an increased rate of electoral dispute cases adjudicated by courts? To what extent does the role of the election observers matter? These are some questions the newly formed civil society South African Democratic Election Network (SA-DEN) asks.
Over the past two months, seasoned election observer civil society organisations from all nine provinces have met to discuss establishing a network covering a wide range of election observation and monitoring activities for the 2024 NPE elections.
The South African Democratic Election Network (SA-DEN) is part of the SADC Elections Network, it envisages collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (Non-Governmental Organisations, Faith-Based Organisations, Social Movements and Local Businesses) to ensure cohesion in civil society efforts to ensure free and fair elections.
The culture of holding regular free and fair elections remains a crucial goal that has, in part, determined the extent to which South Africa’s resolve to consolidate democracy is taking place. The regular free and fair elections in South Africa occur together with the protection of other key features of democracy, such as the rule of law, freedom of the press, and freedom of association – all of which remain important in the country’s maturing democracy.
The concept of the freeness and fairness of the elections embodies our collective efforts to curb intimidatory and unacceptable conduct and language by politicians and their supporters. It also extends to building firewalls against election-rigging occasioned or facilitated by any lapse or sloppiness on the part of the IEC or violations of the electoral code of conduct by candidates or political parties or indirectly by their proxies.
The Electoral terrain in South Africa remains fragile. A lot of lessons have been learnt from the recent Zimbabwe elections. With the introduction of the new electoral legislation allowing independent candidates to run for office for the first time, we envisage new challenges. The spread of fake news militates against political tolerance and efforts to discourage voter apathy. The burdens of chronic poverty, deepening inequality, and high unemployment continue to pose complex challenges to the country’s democracy.
The rise in political killings of traditional leaders and intraparty or interparty political rivals, the burning of trucks, attacks on foreign nationals and violent protests continue to threaten free and fair elections seriously.
Given the above realities of the south African context and the layered levels of complexities, SA-DEN serves to:
- Run civic education dialogues to improve voter registration and participation in elections.
- Monitor violence and killings in the preparations leading to the 2024 elections.
- Observe violations of the Electoral Code of Conduct during election campaigns, election days and after the results announcement.
- Use early warning signs to identify violence hotspots and mediate conflicts.
- Provide a platform for national and provincial Civil Society groups and professionals to harness their resources nationwide.
SA-DEN will recruit, train and deploy approximately 4500 observers across the country. It will recruit, train, and deploy about 150 long-term conflict mediators and bring together eminent leaders and other civil society professional voices to produce and provide a monthly election readiness review.
The secretariat and convening of SA-DEN is the Sothern Africa Dispute Resolution Agency (SADRA), working closely with the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council (KZNCC) and the South African Council of Churches and Southern African Catholics Bishops Conference.
We call all stakeholders to contact us on Bishops Oscar Siwali – 076 673 0132 or 082 560 7026.