COSATU welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assurances that all systems are ready for free, fair and credible elections
26 May 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assurances that all systems are ready for free, fair and credible elections. We are heartened by the efforts of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and government from Home Affairs to International Relations and Cooperation, the South African Police Service (SAPS), the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), local government amongst others to maintain South Africa’s enviable record of holding elections that fulfill the Constitutional obligations to ensure all registered voters are able to cast their ballots by the conclusion of the elections on May 29th.
Voting at South Africa’s diplomatic missions across the world have gone off without any reported incidents. We trust voters will enjoy similar positive experiences during the special votes period on Monday and Tuesday, and most importantly on the main election day itself on Wednesday.
COSATU welcomes the IEC’s rapid response to reported incidents of criminal interference in KwaZulu-Natal. It is critical that the IEC keep the nation informed of any attempts to undermine or interfere with the running of the elections. The SAPS and the SANDF must move with speed to arrest and charge any persons involved in any such criminal activities. Any politicians found to be involved in such activities must be disqualified from election to Parliament or a Provincial Legislature as per the prescripts of the Electoral Act.
South Africans have sacrificed too much over many decades to build our hard-won constitutional democracy. Any miscreant who seeks to disrespect or tamper with this must be dealt with by the SAPS and the SANDF as the criminals they are, irrespective of whatever conspiratorial or political nonsense is bouncing around their heads.
We urge all non-essential employers to close their workplaces on election day to ensure all workers are able to exercise their constitutional right to vote. Any worker whose right to vote is threatened by their employer must report this to the SAPS or COSATU. The right to vote is sacrosanct. No employer has the right to prevent any worker from exercising it or to victimise them.
COSATU and its Affiliates will be monitoring all workplaces to ensure no worker is prevented from voting.
The Federation thanks the staff of the IEC, Home Affairs, SAPS, SANDF and countless other ordinary workers across the nation for their tireless efforts to contribute to making our 7th democratic elections one the entire nation will be proud of. We are confident they will fulfill their mission with distinction.
Issued by Matthew Parks, Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary Coordinator, COSATU, 27 May 2024
