Human Rights and COVID-19 Vaccines in South Africa
May 3, 2021Strengthening women’s political participation and decision making in South Africa
May 7, 2021
The Democracy Development Program conducted an election observer training. Election observers play a crucial role in ensuring that the elections are transparent, free, and fair and that the outcome is accepted by voters, political parties, and candidates. The election observer training was done to foresee that observers are better equipped to observe the 2021 Elections and ensure that observers under the umbrella of the Democracy Development Program understand their role as election observers and the channels of reporting during and after the elections.
The specific objective of this activity to ensure that observers are better equipped for the observation mission of the 2021 elections. The objective was to conduct this activity by inviting individuals who have indicated their interest to become election observers in the previous year and have been accredited by the IEC through DDP.
Through this training, the DDP aimed to:
- Unpack the nature and trends in voter turnout in South Africa
- Unpack the role of civil society in ensuring political accountability
- Assess the impact of Covid-19 on local government elections
- Unpack the impact on civil society organizations and their functioning in the electoral process
- Unpack the impact of service delivery protests, electoral violence on the integrity of elections
- To enhance citizens understanding of the election observer mission
- To educate citizens on the rules and regulations of being an election observer
Mxolisi Nyuswa from Give a Child a Family, and veteran in violence monitoring in the KwaZulu Natal region, Sphamandla Mhlongo from DDP as well as Malusi Msomi from eThekwini Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) gave an important analysis of the processes. Please see their presentations below.
PLC and Observer Missions-Malusi
VIOLENCE MONITORING IN KZN – 30 APRIL 2021 BOJOSDPC]N-Mxolisi
