Diplomatic bag service crisis a threat to election integrity

THE Department of International Relations and Co-operation’s (Dirco) failure to budget through supply chain management for the renewal of the Diplomatic Bag Service may have grave implications for elections abroad, which are set to take place on May 17 and 18.

South African consulates and embassies throughout the world rely on the bag service to send high-level, classified communications, and consular documents to and from South Africa.

In the absence of this service, South African nationals abroad are unable to send and receive crucial documentation via their local embassies, such as marriage certificates, police clearances and passports.

Dirco’s failure to plan for the timely renewal of this critical service has now led to interim, short-term contracts being awarded on an ad hoc basis, where money can be found and internally reappropriated.

The situation is of grave concern in light of the upcoming national elections, with South Africans abroad set to cast their ballots within the next three weeks.

Diplomatic bags are required to send ballots to missions abroad, and are only counted once received by the IEC in South Africa. A failure by Dirco to ensure a functioning and seamless Diplomatic Bag Service will pose a significant threat to overseas voting integrity. More so, as of the past week, 20 South African embassies in Africa, 13 in Europe and the Americas, and four in Asia had still not provided the department with diplomatic bag requirements for voting day. While South Africa has become accustomed to the govenring party’s incompetence, the situation at Dirco is inexcusable.

EMMA LOUISE POWELL MP | DA spokesperson on international relations