First reported by City Press<\/a>, the 14-page report by the crime intelligence unit of the South African Police Service (SAPS), was presented on Friday to the State Security Agency, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and senior police officials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Their collective responsibility is to ensure a conducive environment for the May 29 elections, aiming for a process that is both free and fair, devoid of any form of intimidation or violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report warns of “direct risks” such as potential trucker strikes and disruptions to the election process, including court rulings affecting participation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It identified “hotspots” include political disruptions and protests, with potential threats to voting stations. According to the report, these include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, there are concerns of arms theft from police stations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Indirect risks” involve deliberate tampering with services and the spread of fake news. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Security measures which are said to be in place include the involvement of private security firms and the military, with authorities prepared to address any violence or disruptions during the election period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Institute of Security Studies (ISS) researchers Gareth Newham, Godfrey Mulaudzi and Lizette Lancaster\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0that the July 2021 riots “were a wake-up call for law enforcement, businesses and communities.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Police and private security have since improved communication and coordination, and seemingly better state and private intelligence-gathering systems should prevent large-scale violence [and] unlike in the July 2021 riots, the state seems to be taking threats of electoral violence more seriously,\u201d added the researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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