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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape has called for political tolerance and respect of different political parties, at the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IECs) signing of the pledges to abide by the code of conduct, that took place in Kimberley today.

The DA looks forward to working in a healthy and competitive environment and we commit ourselves to sticking to the rules guiding political behaviour during this time.

Over the past three weeks, electioneering in the province has been heating up. As campaigning intensifies, and more voter interactions get underway, there are going to be more instances where political parties bump into each other. As political parties, we owe it to our democracy to be peaceful and cordial with each other.

Concerningly, however, we have already seen acts of poster theft and destruction in the municipalities of Dawid Kruiper and Sol Plaatje where posters have gone missing and been strewn in mud.

The DA will not sink to this level of political intolerance and sabotage. We will also not tolerate the violation of the code of conduct. In such instances, we will therefore not hesitate to lay criminal charges, as we have already done in Upington.

We further wish to caution fellow political parties and members of the public that the removal of election posters is against the Electoral Act, Section 99, the Electoral Code of Conduct, and that individuals and political parties can be prosecuted for violating its provisions that seek to ensure free and fair elections.

In fact, in April, the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court found a person guilty on charges of theft after he was filmed removing election posters from street poles during a Ward 30 by-election in 2019.

The DA laid the charges against the perpetrator and he was made to pay an admission of guilt fine of R2 000.

The DA hopes that there will be no more dirty politicking in the province following today’s public declarations made by political parties. We further look forward to an exciting, yet peaceful and law-abiding run-up to the 2021 Local Government Elections.

Issued by DA Northern Cape Deputy Provincial Chairperson, Priscilla Isaacs, MPL