Helping the miracle happen.

The first fully democreatic elections in South Africa 

Violence, bloodshed, chaos and total disruption--these were some of the predictions made by doomsday prophets as South Africa prepared to hold its first, fully democratic elections this past April.

THE RUN-UP to the elections was unfortunately characterized by elements that could prove these prophets correct.

Economic and political scenario planners concluded in 1991, that "if South Africa carried on 'business as usual,' even the highest projected level of performance was unlikely to sustain the transition already in progress."

This was one year after the historic announcement in Parliament by then-State President F.W. de Klerk, that South Africa was inextricably committed to a fully democratic dispensation.

What was required of all South Africans, during the four years of negotiations and transitional programmes that followed the announcement, was regarded by many as expecting miracles on the economic, social and political fronts.

There was notable tension in the country as the date of the election, 26-28 April, 1994, drew ever nearer.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) was appointed by the Transitional Executive Council to conduct the elections. With only four months to organize the elections, this was an almost impossible task. Extensive voter education was required to acquaint more than 80 percent first time voters (out of the potential 22.7 million votes), with the procedures of voting.

Add to this the fact that no voter rolls existed, 9,000 polling stations and 1,000 counting stations had to be erected, 21,000 monitors (including 2,100 international observers) had to be accommodated, 78 overseas polling stations had to be established for South Africans abroad and an IEC election team of more than a quarter million members had to be formed -- and you truly believed that it would really take several miracles to pull this one off!

Complications regarding the ballot system, the last minute decision (six days prior to election) of a major political party to join the election race and the accommodation of 28 political parties on provincial and national election ballot papers (the double voting procedure) were some of the issues confronting the IEC.

The national broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, played a major role in communicating voter education programmes to this vast voting public of which more than 50 percent were functionally illiterate. Voter education programmes were broadcast on the 22 radio stations and two of the three television channels, political debates were conducted with the candidates and political advertising was permitted on the radio services. Independent programme producers created innovative voter education programmes, while organized commerce and industry played their part in bringing voter information to their workers.

The election coverage was planned with military precision by the election unit, especially created from seasoned newspeople in the SABC. Confronting them was a historic broadcasting event, unequalled in size and importance, but with potential pitfalls. How to cover an election of this complexity in the 11 languages of South Africa? Television coverage was carried on two television channels and radio coverage on public service radio stations.

Campaigns of the 28 political parties were extensively covered on radio and television -- although some politicians may be of the opinion that they did not receive fair treatment in the media -- (Why should South African politicians be different from their counterparts in the rest of the world?)

While all this was happening in front of the television cameras and radio microphones, a project of gigantic proportion was taking place behind the scenes.

The SABC was to play host to more than 3,000 international journalists expected to converge on South Africa to cover the elections. This proved to be the greatest challenge of the national broadcaster since its inception in 1936! -- the single biggest technological assault on the infrastructure of the SABC and the South African telecommunication company, Telkom.

A state-of-the-art International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) was erected within the confines of the SABC headquarters in Johannesburg. More than 2,500 square meters of floor space was converted into 80 offices to accommodate more than 400 electronic media journalists and their equipment. The IBC provided facilities that were designed according to international standards to meet the stringent requirements of international broadcasters.

Because of the vast territory to be physically covered by the SABC's news teams, 12 smaller, mobile broadcasting units were built to cover campaigns and general news events. These units consisted of small vehicles equipped with cameras, a couple of VTRs and a microwave link.

This was in addition to the four large, fully equipped outside broadcasting units that were used for live coverage of events.

International experts assisted in the training of field reporters and fine-tuning of the massive planning process. More than 1,000 SABC staff members worked day and night to bring information about the election to the anxious masses.

As the election days passed, it became apparent that the doomsday prophets would be proved wrong!

But the greatest miracle of all almost escaped notice -- the election process was completed in a tranquil and harmonious atmosphere. A carnival mood prevailed while people of all races and political persuasions patiently waited their turn at the polling booth -- sometimes in lines five kilometers long! Even when major hitches occurred, such as a shortage of ballot papers, it did not detract from the tolerance and excitement experienced by everyone.

When President Nelson Mandela was inaugurated on 10 May, 1994, it signaled the conclusion of the event of the decade.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation, like so many other dedicated individuals and organizations, is justly proud of its contribution to make the first, fully democratic elections in South Africa a reality!

The SABC did it -- it helped in making the miracle happen!

Theo Vorster is a general manager of group communications and marketing for SABC and is president of the IABC Southern Africa chapter.