DDM IS THE CENTRE OF COORDINATION TO GUARNTEE FREE, FAIR AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS—URGES HOD MLOKOTHI
Buffalo City Metro’s City Hall was the venue for the launch of the Provincial Election Task Team (PETT) last month, as CoGTA began preparations for the upcoming 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE), reports Mr Vuyani Sibene. Ms. Charity Sihunu, the Acting Deputy Director-General (DDG) for Local Governance, said the constitutional right of citizens to participate in the elections is important to elect public representatives who will represent them in government. “The right of citizens to participate in the establishment of their government remains profound and ranks supreme in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, thus making elections a cornerstone of the Republic to strengthen democracy through active citizen participation,” she said.
The event brought together key stakeholders, including Heads of government departments, Municipal Managers, officials from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Eastern Cape, State Security Agency, the South African Police Service (SAPS), etc. Metro Speaker Councillor Humphrey Maxegwana (pictured) welcomed delegates, stressing the importance of safeguarding the integrity and credibility of democratic processes. “Your presence reflects the seriousness with which government approaches the responsibility of safeguarding the integrity, stability, and credibility of our democratic processes and uphold the dignity of every voter,” he remarked. He added that service delivery challenges, if left unresolved, could undermine public confidence in governance. “As municipalities, we remain the sphere of government closest to the people. Our communities look up to us not only for services, but also for leadership that is responsive, accountable, and transparent,” Councillor Maxegwana added.
Head of Department, Mr. Vuyo Mlokothi, (pictured) highlighted the importance of coordinated public participation across all spheres of government. “Since the conceptualisation of the launch of the PETT, we wanted to ensure that public participation activities are implemented in a much more coordinated and seamless manner. The year 2026 will mark the end of the democratic Local Government, thus usher in the new term of administration. It is once again that time when all relevant stakeholders must play their effective role to ensure the smooth and peaceful running of elections,” he said.
Mr Mlokothi urged municipalities and departments to remain focused on collaboration under the District Development Model (DDM). “We must work together to win this battle. Our proactive approach in environmental scanning to identify early warnings, and our rapid response to community concerns that may create conditions for their weaponisation against the elections , are critical ingredients in successfully delivering on our mandate,” he said .The PETT will serve as a platform for integrated coordination, early risk identification, and proactive interventions to ensure free, fair, and credible elections in 2026.
