As an independent scholar, I have always had the ambition of working directly for an organisation that effects real change in people’s lives.
At the beginning of this year, an election year, I was afforded the opportunity to work in the Communications department at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
A dream come true.
The slogan for the 2024 National and Provincial Elections (NPE) was “It’s your democracy! Own it!” – a fitting tagline for a momentous occasion as South Africans celebrate 30 years of democracy, and for the context of this piece of writing, three decades of electoral democracy.
The energy inside our national office was unlike any other.
Election House is filled with friendly, warm staff who take their mandate of delivering free, fair, and credible elections very seriously.
The corridors are lined with imagery of past elections, dating back to 1994, and carry a deep sense of nostalgia.
I was to spend the next few months in an environment that spearheaded electoral democracy.
The timing of my tenure was opportune in that I became a part of the organisation on the brink of a historic election in our country.
While preparing for the big day on 29 May 2024, I was fortunate to be at the forefront of how the machinery of the electoral commission operates.
The organisation is comprised of dedicated individuals, very much aware of the massive undertaking, and constantly absorbing pressure.
I worked with people who were so well-versed in their respective jobs and collectively held years of experience in putting an election together.
The leadership of the organisation is also one that was very approachable and was always available to provide wise counsel.
I worked in the Communications department, as mentioned, with a particular focus on events and external communications.
The long hours, the lengthy discussions, and the need for integrity and transparency in the work that we do were all made apparent to me very quickly and I looked forward to the journey ahead.
The first event that our team was tasked with was an international conference.
It was the launch of the “Principles and Guidelines for the use of Digital and Social Media in Elections in Africa”.
This incredible occasion brought together representatives of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) in Africa, along with other stakeholders.
The guestlist was indeed one of the important dignitaries.
These guidelines were adopted in October 2023 at the Association of African Electoral Authorities (AAEA) conference in Benin.
Apart from assisting the team with various logistics to host and manage the event, I was also privy to different plenary sessions of this watershed moment.
I sat in a room with heads of EMBs while they discussed how best to engage with digital and social media in elections.
The Commission will continue to embark on continent-wide socialisation of these principles and guidelines.
The important events that were to follow included the National Signing of the Electoral Code of Conduct event and Ballot Paper Draw, which involved the political parties and independent candidates that were to contest the NPE 2024.
As these events involve the senior leadership of the Commission, I had proximity to the Commission Services office, the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office, the Deputy CEOs’ offices and all their staff as well as our events management structures and teams.
This event was not an easy one to pull off as the variables were many, and the team had to learn many lessons along the way as challenges arose.
This event was a significant one in the election timetable as it demonstrated the democratic values that the contesting parties and independents were willing to uphold for this election.
They all made pledges to the country of their intention to conduct themselves peacefully, promote awareness of the Code as well as support efforts to educate voters.
There were also many internal activities that kept the electoral machine running at a very rapid pace.
These included media briefings, held at our office, to keep the country informed of developments and of course, handle any queries.
There were plenty of these because this election was like no other.
This was the first time we were to introduce a third ballot paper, as to accommodate the introduction of the independent candidates.
The impressive manner in which our Commissioners, CEO, and DCEOs constantly re-educated the media and the public on this phenomenon, will remain with me for a long time.
They did not ever tire from the daunting task of misinformation and disinformation that engulfed the landscape of this election as well as the many court cases that the Commission had to face while remaining adequately prepared for its mandate.
I was also involved in external communications deliverables which included producing a television commercial, and other communications activities such as a print and radio campaign, media buying, and administration.
I have vast experience in this space and it was a pleasure to be able to engage my fellow creatives from the other side of the table.
I was also able to demonstrate my expertise in this arena to my colleagues at work and add value to the process.
The National Results Operations Centre (ROC) is the culmination of years of work by the Commission and a hive of activity.
This national key point is a media practitioner’s dream and being a part of it felt like a secular act.
This year was the first time it would be stationed at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand and involved all key stakeholders involved in an election.
It operated 24 hours a day, for a week, and once the results of the votes were captured and verified, they were projected on massive screens for all to witness in real-time.
As the Communications team, we were tasked with the launching of the ROC, the Results Announcement, and Gala dinner events.
These were the final acts of these momentous elections.
The events included former and current Commissioners, senior management of the Electoral Commission, political party leaders, independent candidates, government, chapter 9 institutions, business, media, NGOs, local and international observers, partners, and more.
Over the past six (6) months, I have been exposed to some of the most influential people in our country.
I have seen decision-makers and public officials being put to task at every step of the way.
I have been a part of something magical.
There have been many challenges along the way, however, there is no challenge too difficult to overcome.
I was deeply involved in an organisation that is held in high regard globally.
Most importantly, I cherished every moment and in my unique way, have contributed to electoral democracy and my sense of national duty.
* The writer of this article is Botshelo Motuba, an Independent Scholar. The views expressed by Botshelo Motuba, are not necessarily those of The Bulrushes
