MEC Mchunu calls for free and fair elections
Mchunu calls for calm and restraint ahead of the beginning of the 2016 local government electoral process.
THE KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, has urged all political players and all sectors of the community in the province to work towards ensuring that there is an environment conducive to the holding of free and fair elections, starting with the first week of voter registration this weekend (Saturday, 5 and Sunday, 6 March).
Addressing members of the portfolio committee on community safety and liaison in Newcastle this week, Mchunu noted the unfortunate upsurge of violence public protests linked to the nomination process for the forthcoming local government elections.
“Disturbingly, some of these protests have resulted to vandalism and damage to properties. While we respect the right of the community to gather and protest, these protests have be conducted within the ambit of law and without infringing on the rights of others and posing threat to life and property.
“We all have the duty to ensure that during this sensitive period – which is a build-up to local government elections – is characterised by a peaceful atmosphere, political tolerance and peaceful political co-existence,” he said.
Mchunu said his department was currently ‘devising a tool’ to deal with challenge posed by the illegal and violent protests.
Mchunu is currently in consultation with the KwaZulu-Natal Chief Electoral Officer, Mawethu Mosery, with the view to reconvening the Multi-Party Political Intervention Committee.
This is a committee made up of all political parties contesting the elections and other key stakeholders.
The forthcoming weekend is the first round of the voter registration and Mchunu said they have plans to secure this process. “I need to underline the need for all of us to work towards stability and political tolerance during this period.
“We will soon be reconvening the Multi-Party Political Intervention Committee to ensure that all political players are involved in the work of creating an atmosphere conducive to the peaceful campaign that will produced free and fair elections.”
He added that they owe it to the people of KwaZulu-Natal to ensure political stability.
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