- The South African Police Service (SAPS) says that it is prepared ahead of Wednesday’s polls.
- According to SAPS Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikil, the police are actively scanning social media for fake news and incitement of political violence.
- There are already 27 cases involving the upcoming elections under investigation, including several instances of violence.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) says that its cybercrime units and intelligence officers at the NATJOINTS Coordination Centre in Tshwane are keeping an eye on social media in the days ahead and during the 2024 National Elections.
This is according to SAPS Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikil who gave a speech at the centre to brief the media on the SAPS preparedness ahead of elections.
“We therefore take this opportunity to caution responsible citizens especially social media users from spreading fake news. You are all urged to verify facts first before sharing any information which often leads to unnecessary confusion and panic,” said the Lieutenant General.
“We will not tolerate any incitement of violence on any platforms. Our intelligence communities and cybercrime units are closely monitoring online users. You are warned not to step out of line,” she warned.
Mosikil underlined that the police are prepared for the elections, especially thanks to the surveillance capabilities provided by the NATJOINTS centre, which she says gives a “state of the art 24-hour nodal point of contact.”
“We have no doubt that this early warning system has proven itself to be able to detect and address all identified security risks,” Mosikil adds.
The SAPS will be taking a zero-tolerance approach to elections-related crime on Wednesday this week. Mosikil says that the police will be out in force on election day to “ensure everyone that will be exercising their democratic right, does so in a peaceful, safe and secure environment.”
Already the police service is investigating 27 cases related to the elections, 17 of which were opened in Limpopo, including several violent crimes like the shooting of a nine-year-old girl involved in a door-to-door campaign.
Another case was opened in Pretoria, where a man putting up campaign billboards was assaulted by a group of men. Six other cases involved vandalism and the illegal removal of election posters. The Lieutenant General is also warning political parties that continuing campaigns after midnight on Wednesday is illegal.
“To all voters, go out there having full confidence that the NATJOINTS plan is on track to protect your rights and our democracy,” Mosikil concludes.
