Marches that never came, results still being counted: security cluster stays on alert

South Africa’s law enforcement agencies remain on alert while the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) counts, reconciles, verifies and captures the results of Wednesday’s Local Government Elections, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) said on Thursday evening.

Briefing the media, NATJOINTS co-chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said the operation’s responsibility continues, with particular emphasis on protecting voting materials, securing results operations and safeguarding the integrity of the results management process.

“NATJOINTS remains fully committed to sustaining its security posture until the 2026 Local Government Elections [period] is formally concluded,” Mosikili said.

She acknowledged challenges and incidents encountered, and said the overall operational response demonstrated that the security cluster implemented its mandate with preparedness, discipline and determination.

On Voting Day itself, Mosikili said coordinated deployment and decisive interventions ensured a largely conducive environment with minimal disruptions. Operations were intelligence-led and risk-informed, with particular attention on several hotspots in KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

“Eligible voters were able to exercise their democratic rights, while security forces maintained law and order and responded swiftly to reported incidents, and addressed emerging threats across all provinces,” she said.

Mosikili said planned marches and protests did not materialise, and that there was no widespread disruption that compromised the electoral process. Where operational, logistical and service delivery-related challenges emerged at certain voting stations, she said law enforcement agencies intervened to stabilise the environment and facilitate the continuation of the voting process.

Results capturing and verification continue.

The account is carried in a SAnews (South African Government News Agency) report of the briefing, which summarises Mosikili’s remarks rather than reproducing the full media statement. The source can be found at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/lge2026-law-enforcement-alert-results-capturing-continues.