South Africa: Soldiers On Standby As Police Prepare for Election Violence

What the report says

South African police have put security measures in place ahead of local government elections scheduled for Wednesday, with the South African National Defence Force on standby to assist if violence, protests or intimidation threaten voting in identified hotspots. The plan was outlined by Deputy National Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Tebello Mosikili at a briefing in Tshwane on Sunday, according to Scrolla’s report carried by AllAfrica.

Police said they have assessed voting stations across all nine provinces and completed security checks at sites where ballots will be cast. Election materials have been delivered and secured, and warehouses storing ballot papers and related equipment are under police protection. A national security centre in Tshwane will coordinate responses to any incidents, while specialised police units and mobile teams remain ready to deploy. Military aircraft are also on standby if needed.

The article said authorities are especially alert in areas seen as higher risk, including parts of KwaZulu-Natal, where protest tensions have been noted, and the Western Cape, where taxi violence is among the concerns being monitored. Police have also pointed to possible labour disputes, service delivery protests and tensions involving foreign nationals as potential disruptions.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa has approved 2.65 million special vote applications, which the report said is far above the total for the 2021 local elections. Special voting was set to take place on Monday and Tuesday for eligible voters unable to vote on election day. Police said their goal is to protect voters and officials, and campaigning must stop before polls open.