Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
26 February 2024 | 14:00 CAT
2 min read

Civil society groups and communities are preparing for the upcoming 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29th.

The movement to mobilise voters kicked off in Parktown, Johannesburg, where over 150 individuals from various civil society movements and NGOs across Gauteng convened with a singular focus on election readiness this weekend.

The gathering, hosted by Defend our Democracy, marked the commencement of the civil society campaign known as ‘Election Watch’.

Speaking to Radio Islam, Andries Sibanyoni from Defend Our Democracy emphasised the pivotal role of their organisation in guaranteeing credible election outcomes.

“The Election Watch Campaign is a national initiative that mobilises all NGOs and civil society movements interested in monitoring and observing elections. The main goal is to ensure credible outcomes. We have been monitoring the environment prior to the elections and have identified that this is going to be a fiercely contested election. Therefore, on Monday, we took to the ground to fight against disinformation and the tendency to create doubt in people’s minds about whether the IEC will give us credible results. But I think they have done so for the past 30 years,” he said.

On the 29th, the group will deploy observers to over 2000 voting stations nationwide to oversee the entire process and ensure its smooth operation. “Our team will collaborate closely with the IEC office, remaining present until the counting period to guarantee accurate tallying of votes,” he said.

Sibanyoni pointed out that they anticipate some challenges, particularly in hotspots where tensions are high. “However, despite the intense environment, we remain hopeful that we will achieve free and fair elections,” he added.

He urges ordinary citizens to serve as the ears and eyes of their communities, emphasizing that this time, we cannot solely rely on unions; each of us has a role to play.

Defend Our Democracy will hold its final workshop in Durban on February 28th, aiming to raise awareness among civil society organizations and NGOs.

“We encourage individuals to join the Election Watch and support our cause”, Sibanyoni said.

For further details, visit the Defend our Democracy website at https://defendourdemocracy.co.za/contact-us/.

You can also reach out to the Defend Our Democracy campaign through social media channels or via email at defendourdemocracy1@gmail.com.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Andries Sibanyoni from Defend Our Democracy here.