Mkhwanazi warns police against political bias ahead of KZN local government elections - IOL

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has warned officers to act swiftly against anyone threatening the integrity of Wednesday's local government elections and remain impartial towards political parties.

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has warned officers deployed for Wednesday's local government elections against favouring any political party or candidate, saying they must enforce the Electoral Act without fear, favour or prejudice.

Mkhwanazi delivered the warning during a multidisciplinary law enforcement send-off parade at Hoy Park in Durban on Tuesday, where officers from different agencies received instructions ahead of election day.

He said their responsibility was to protect voters from intimidation, safeguard officials of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and ensure that the elections took place in a calm and peaceful environment.

“You are standing here in different uniforms but with one mission. The mission is to deliver free, fair and credible elections,” he said.

Mkhwanazi warned that any action threatening the integrity of the elections had to be dealt with swiftly.

The warning comes as KwaZulu-Natal prepares for voting across its 54 municipalities, with more than 5.8 million registered voters expected to cast their ballots.

IOL previously reported that the province had identified 165 high-risk voting stations, 124 of which are in eThekwini. 

Special Task Force officers join other law enforcement agencies at Hoy Park in Durban during a send-off parade ahead of Wednesday's local government elections in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mkhwanazi reminded officers that they were not politicians or party agents and should not allow their political preferences to influence their conduct while on duty.

“You are an impartial law enforcement officer who must treat all political parties equally and with respect.”

Officers had been trained on the Electoral Act and were expected to enforce it without compromise.

Their responsibilities include escorting sensitive voting materials from warehouses to voting stations and back, protecting IEC officials and ensuring that activities inside and around voting stations remain lawful.

Mkhwanazi said static deployments would monitor voting stations, while roving teams had to remain vigilant and ready to respond to incidents.

“Working together with IEC, we must ensure that all sensitive voting materials are escorted. No movement of voting materials must happen without police escort,” he said.

He warned officers not to arrive late at warehouses to escort voting materials and said no unprofessional conduct would be tolerated while they were on duty.

He also instructed officers to take strategic positions at voting stations and ensure that nobody entered with weapons, particularly firearms.

The provincial operation forms part of a wider security deployment involving police units, metro police and the South African National Defence Force. IOL previously reported that specialised units, including the Special Task Force and National Intervention Unit, had also been placed on standby for the elections.

Police officers prepare for deployment across KwaZulu-Natal as authorities step up security measures to protect voters, IEC officials and election materials during Wednesday's polls.

Mkhwanazi cautioned officers against being provoked into taking unnecessary action, saying they had to remain calm and patient, but decisive when enforcing the law.

“When it is time to enforce the law, do so uncompromisingly,” he said.

“We are not sending you out there to negotiate with law breakers; your mission is to create a safe voting environment, and no one must tamper with that,” he said.

Mkhwanazi said police had learnt lessons from previous elections and could not afford to repeat the same shortcomings.

He instructed officers to take orders from district commissioners and their immediate commanders, saying the success of the operation depended on discipline and patriotism.

He also reminded officers that their special votes on Monday and Tuesday were the closest they should get to political involvement during the elections.

“I would like to remind you that you had yesterday and the rest of today to cast your special votes. That is the closest you get to any political involvement. You are not comrades, and you are not councillor candidates,” he said.

Mkhwanazi said officers who felt conflicted or believed they were not fit for the task should not take up their posts.

Those who failed to meet the required standards would face disciplinary action.

He urged officers to serve the public with respect, courtesy, discipline and professionalism, while also ensuring their own safety and supporting their colleagues during the operation.

“Go out there and represent the badge with dignity. Go out there and ensure that residents of KwaZulu-Natal exercise their right to vote in a safe and secured environment,” he said.