Limpopo - The people and political parties in Limpopo province have been thanked for working with the South African Police Services to ensure that voting in the 2009 General Elections was held in a peaceful environment.
The MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison, Ratshivhanda Ndou in a statement on Friday said that the elections in Limpopo had been totally devoid of violence, threats and intimidation.
"We are pleased to announce that in Limpopo there was not a single incident of political violence or election-related crimes reported at any of our polling stations," said Mr Ndou.
He attributed their success to the cooperation of voters, political parties as well as the clinical planning and zero-tolerance attitude on the part of the state security machinery.
"Through this election, our people have sent a clear message to the rest of the world that indeed democracy is alive and well in South Africa.
"We would like to thank the people of Limpopo for the historic contribution they made during this election further to entrench democracy and political tolerance. Similarly, we would like to thank all the parties that participated in the elections and for the largely responsible manner in which they conducted themselves."
However, Mr Ndou said that as results come through, he urged political parties to celebrate peacefully.
"We anticipate there will be many celebrations by political parties and their constituencies across the province. We call on voters and political parties to ensure that such victory celebrations are conducted within the ambit of the law."
The MEC also thanks the police for their hard work during this period.
Mr Ndou said that he hoped the international observers who had joined the Independent Electoral Commission would carry home the message that South Africa is also ready to host the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup.
