KLERKSDORP, North West — A newly formed political party is raising serious alarms about voter safety in gang-infested areas ahead of the 2026 local government elections, demanding an immediate joint security intervention to protect citizens exercising their democratic rights.
With just over two months remaining before the November polls, the North West-based Amalgamated Concerned Residents Association (ACRA) warns that residents in volatile communities are afraid to queue at polling stations due to rampant gang violence. The party asserts that without a robust intervention, the integrity of a free and fair election is under severe threat.
Addressing the media in Klerksdorp, the party announced it has formally written to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). ACRA is urgently demanding a joint safety and security plan coordinated by the IEC, the South African Police Service (SAPS), and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
The association has specifically singled out several high-risk communities across Gauteng and the Western Cape where voter suppression through intimidation is a major concern. The affected areas include Westbury, Eldorado Park, and Reiger Park in Gauteng, alongside Manenburg, Hanover Park, Delft, and Nyanga in the Western Cape.
Owen Stoufers, Secretary General of ACRA, outlined the party’s formal demand submitted to the IEC’s Chief Electoral Officer.
“ACRA has launched a formal demand to present South Africans with a joint IEC, SAPS, and security plan ahead of the local government elections 2026, which will guarantee voters in gang-infested areas their safety,” Stoufers stated. “We have identified a serious threat to the safety of voters in general and to free and fair elections in particular. Gang violence affects voter turnout in wards in gang-infested areas as voters fear queuing to exercise their democratic and constitutional right to vote.”
The party has given the electoral body a strict deadline until the 11th of the month to respond to their demands.
Should the IEC fail to comply and implement the requested security measures, Stoufers warned that the party is prepared to take escalating legal and administrative actions. These steps include:
- Launching a formal objection under Section 55 of the Municipal Electoral Act to declare that elections cannot be deemed free and fair in gang-infested areas.
- Approaching the Electoral Court to secure an order compelling the IEC to enact a comprehensive safety and security plan.
- Calling upon the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), alongside domestic and international observer missions, to officially declare the affected voting wards as not free and fair.
Beyond legal recourse, ACRA stressed its intention to actively mobilize other political parties across the country. The newly formed group aims to build a united front to ensure that the 2026 local government elections remain safe, accessible, and fundamentally fair for all South Africans.
