KwaZulu-Natal police stay deployed during coalition negotiations in South Africa
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on IOL
Illustrative image · RDNE Stock project · Pexels · Licence PexelsKwaZulu-Natal police remain deployed until the new municipal councils are installed, while parties negotiate coalitions after the local elections. Acting provincial commissioner Phumelele Makoba thanked the forces deployed before, during and after the vote, IOL reports.
KwaZulu-Natal police remain deployed during coalition negotiations between political parties and the formation of new municipal councils, acting provincial commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba said, according to the South African outlet IOL.
"The voting is over, the results are out, but we are not out of the woods yet," said Phumelele Makoba, who commanded the operation to secure the elections in the province. "We remain tasked with maintaining a stable province while coalition governments are negotiated, until the councils are installed and begin serving our communities."
Parties have begun negotiations in municipalities where none of them won an absolute majority, raising fears of difficult bargaining. KwaZulu-Natal was among the most closely watched provinces during the vote, with police officers and other stakeholders deployed before, during and after the ballot to prevent violence and disruption. The general thanked officers, state services, private security companies and community structures, as well as businesses involved in the Business Against Crime initiative and community policing forums.
She described the elections as safe and credible, and called on stakeholders to maintain the same commitment in the post-election period, before preparing for the 2029 national and provincial elections.
The warning came as parties negotiate control of municipalities, notably in eThekwini where they set out their conditions before coalition negotiations, and after KwaZulu-Natal's call to protect elected officials issued earlier in the day.
