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CAPE TOWN, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Friday urged all political parties not to incite violence through their statements as they crisscross the country engaging various communities in the run-up to local government elections.
"In the last week, we have seen a very busy week of electioneering by all parties and that by and large there has only been a few incidents which have been speedily attended to by the authorities," Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Des van Rooyen said in the latest update on preparations for the elections, scheduled for August 3.
South Africa has been hit by election-related acts of criminality over the past few weeks.
In the latest incident on Wednesday, a police officer was killed, two others disarmed, an ambulance damaged and a fire department vehicle stoned during protests in Diepsloot north of Johannesburg. The protests were reportedly as a result of the community not having power and water for the past three days.
In another incident earlier, a member of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), Simon Modige was shot dead in Tshwane (Pretoria) during the outbreak of violence which took place at the outskirts of a meeting held to report to branches on the ANC mayoral candidate for Tshwane.
But according to Van Rooyen, all the incidents would not affect the elections.
It is all systems go to the polls, said Van Rooyen, who is also Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee of Elections.
"With a successful elections registration process done, the announcement of the election date and its proclamation and the decision of the Constitutional Court now known, as government we can definitely say that it is all systems go towards the local government elections," he said.
The minister expressed confidence that the polls will definitely be free and fair as all political parties have signed a code of conduct agreeing that they will strive to ensure the existence of a free and fair local government elections.
He said all South Africans have the responsibility to strengthen democracy by voting in the elections.
"We urge all South Africans to make their voices heard by going out in numbers to choose the local government leaders of their choice on 3 August 2016," said Van Rooyen.
He urged South Africans not to disenfranchise themselves and go out to vote in the elections because the local governments are in their hands and each and every vote contributes to strengthening the country's democracy.
The elections come as the government under President Jacob Zuma is facing a series of challenges, including the Nkandla scandal in which Zuma is accused of abusing public funds in security upgrades at his private home and the "state capture" by the Indian Gupta family which allegedly keeps close ties with Zuma and the ANC.
The ANC is facing the most fierce competition from the opposition parties since the end of apartheid in 1994.
The local government elections will see political parties fighting for control of the country's metropolitans. Opposition political parties, particularly, the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, have vowed to take over Johannesburg, Pretoria and Nelson Mandela Bay municipality from the ANC. Enditem
