Troop deployment for polls 'to ensure safe voting' - expert
A security expert says the deployment of soldiers for next week's elections could be a show of force to deter potential violence.
Parliament says 10 000 troops have been deployed nationwide to help law enforcement officials safeguard the polls.
Over 300 voting stations in the country have been identified as high-risk or hotspots.
Criminologist at the University of Stellenbosch Dr Guy Lamb says the army deployment is an effort from the security cluster to show elections will be safe.
"The situation here is that the police have some capacity, but there has also been supervised security protection but also they needs to be normal day policing, so that's why they need the military to help.
"But the number is significant, and I think it's also out of concern from government's part that there may be elements, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, and factions that are in opposition to Ramaphosa and his supporters within the party if they might try to disrupt."
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