The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) held the uThukela District Code of Conduct signing ceremony at the Civic Hall yesterday (October 8), bringing together various political parties ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections scheduled for November 4.

The ceremony provided an opportunity for political parties to commit to conducting themselves peacefully and responsibly during the election period.

IEC assures parties of election readiness

uThukela IEC Director RAM Mpumelelo Sithebe assured political parties that the IEC is ready for the upcoming elections.

Sithebe also urged political parties and their supporters to exercise patience and tolerance towards one another during the election period.

She said the IEC’s preparations were at an advanced stage, adding that staff members recruited to assist with the elections were also ready to perform their duties.

SAPS highlights policing challenges

uThukela District SAPS Lieutenant Colonel XI Khanyi said the South African Police Service (SAPS) was also prepared for the elections and had been making preparations well in advance.

However, Khanyi highlighted the shortage of police personnel as one of the challenges facing the district.

According to him, uThukela has a population of approximately 790,000 people, while the number of police officers available was not sufficient to adequately cover the entire district.

Khanyi identified Inkosi Langalibalele Municipality (ILM) as a particular concern, saying the area had been classified as a high-risk area.

As a result, he said the SAPS would deploy additional members to ILM to strengthen security during the election period.

Political parties commit to peaceful elections

The Code of Conduct signing ceremony was attended by representatives from various political parties, members of the inter-faith community, and political party supporters.

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