Eastern Cape gets heavy police deployment for election day

The Eastern Cape has pulled in police officers from provincial head office, from districts across the province and from national head office components to cover voting in the local government elections on Tuesday, 4 November.

Officers and members paraded at the SAPS Mthatha Academy, where the OR Tambo District Commissioner, Major General Norman Modishana, welcomed them. Major General Schwartz Gerhard, the component head for research, delivered the keynote address, which focused on members’ safety and on a smooth voting day across the country.

The District Coordinator and VISPOL DOCC Commander, Colonel Nangamso Ngcangula, set out the geographical areas members will cover and briefed them on what to expect on the ground. Sergeant Madolwana directed the programme.

SAPS described a heavy police presence in the province and said communities can expect zero tolerance against criminality related to voting or against general crime.

The force framed the deployment around residents exercising their constitutional right to vote. It did not say how many officers have been deployed or which specific voting districts will carry the heaviest presence.