When South Africans head to the polls on Wednesday, there’ll be a group of volunteers keeping a watchful eye on what’s happening, making sure everyone plays by the rules.
In the first episode of Behind the Ballot, a Primedia+ originals series, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba takes us behind the scenes of election observation.
Makgoba, who chairs the Electoral Code of Conduct Observer Commission, explains that the commission brings together volunteers from different faiths and sectors of society, including journalists, young people, and members of the business community.
“The Commission itself is comprised of people of faith. We’ve got the Muslims, the Jews, the Christians. It consists of journalists, comprises the youth, some from the University of the Western Cape, and businesses.”
Their job is to make sure political parties follow the rules and that election officials carry out their duties properly.
“We quietly go into the polling stations and observe whether the political parties are upholding some of those behaviours they have signed up to uphold.”
He explained how the presence of observers can really make a difference.
Makgoba recalled visiting a polling station in Kayamandi where music being played amounted to electioneering, which is not allowed at polling stations.
“It’s amazing what those bibs do,” he said.
“We say the lyrics of the song are actually electioneering and they are not allowed to do that, so switch off the music, and they do.”
The aim is to create a conducive environment for people to vote, he explained.
Looking ahead to Wednesday’s municipal elections, he says local government is where the “rubber hits the road”, because decisions made by municipalities affect everyday services, from roads and water to sanitation.
For Makgoba, the commission’s work is about protecting both the voting process and the democracy South Africans fought for.
“That is our role, quietly holding politicians accountable, the IEC accountable, and quietly saying to people, let’s protect this democracy.”
Behind the Ballot is a Primedia series exploring the people and processes behind South Africa’s elections.
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