Lawyers to act as observers on election day
ABOUT 275 lawyers from across South Africa will join forces to act as the eyes and ears of citizens during the general election on May 7.
The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) has set up a voluntary team to observe as South Africans go to the polls next month.
LSSA co-chairmen Max Boqwana and Ettienne Barnard said they were following in the footsteps of other NGOs which sent observers to previous elections.
“As we mature in our democracy, the perception has developed that our elec- toral process is free, fair and transparent. We believe that to be so. But as the interest of foreign observers grows, the onus increases on us to ensure that our elections and electoral processes remain sound and beyond question,” they said.
“For that reason the LSSA’s attorneys and candidate attorneys have volunteered their time to serve as observers on election day.”
The observers, who attended a training course, will be placed at voting and counting stations across the country.
They will help assess the electoral process with a particular emphasis on compliance with regulations, laws, proce- dures and codes of conduct.
The volunteers will then compile and submit reports to be handed to the Electoral Commission, and made available to the public.
Boqwana and Barnard said the observers attended a full-day training workshop where they familiarised themselves with the relevant aspects of the constitution and the Electoral Act.
“They will serve as the eyes and ears of our citizens,” they said.