Vee Gani, head of the Parents Association of KwaZulu-Natal, has appealed to voters to behave peacefully at school voting stations and protect facilities that children depend on. He urged voters to take disputes to Electoral Commission of South Africa officials respectfully, warning that violence could damage schools and disrupt learning during matric exams. Gani emphasized that people should not misbehave at voting venues.
Gani's appeal extends to every voting venue, with a particular focus on schools as places of learning. KwaZulu-Natal IEC assistant manager Phelelani Mkhwanazi reported that the province has 5,028 voting districts with various types of venues serving about 6 million voters. Of these, 3,400 voting stations are located in schools. Mkhwanazi highlighted that the threshold is for voters not to travel more than 5km to vote.
Mkhwanazi identified 165 voting stations as "high risk" and 1,014 as "medium risk". The eThekwini area accounts for 124 high-risk districts, followed by uThukela with 16, Amajuba with 13, Zululand with 11, and Ugu with one. He cited service delivery protests that disrupted registration, often with demands for clinics and roads used to block election activities, as reasons for regarding these areas as hotspots.
According to Mkhwanazi, security deployments will reflect risk assessments, with larger contingents at higher-risk venues. Presiding officers can call on police to maintain order and remove disruptive individuals. Gani expressed concern about schools beyond the main voting day, as preparations and special voting may overlap with ordinary school days when children are on the premises.
Gani stressed the timing of the elections during exams, suggesting that alternatives should have been considered where available. He acknowledged that schools are sometimes the only suitable public institutions in some areas. However, he believed that community halls and other venues should be considered before schools. This is to minimize disruptions to the education of children.
Beyond the school gates, Gani expressed fear of dissatisfaction with election results leading to destruction and damage to property. He emphasized that this could create a threat to people's safety. Gani urged voters to be mindful of their actions and consider the potential consequences of their behavior.
The KwaZulu-Natal IEC is taking steps to ensure that voting proceeds smoothly and safely. With the province having a significant number of voters and voting stations, the IEC is working to mitigate potential risks and ensure that the electoral process is not disrupted.
Key points
- Vee Gani urges voters to behave peacefully at school voting stations
- 3,400 voting stations in KwaZulu-Natal are located in schools
- 165 voting stations in the province are deemed "high risk"
