With just under a week till the much-anticipated Address & Registration Weekend on the 10th and 11th March 2018 the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council (KZNCC) has collaborated with the Democracy Development Program (DDP) to relaunch the KwaZulu Natal Democracy Education Forum (KZNDEF) to start the civil society preparation for the 2019 National elections. The Forum has spearheaded Election, violence monitoring, mediation and election observation in the Province since 1994 and has involved stakeholders across the Province.

The KZNDEF on Thursday, 01 March 2018, concluded a one-day relaunching meeting in Durban at Glenridge Church. The meeting brought together high profile civil society organizations, such as: the South African NGO Coalition, the MV Youth Network, and the Justice and Peace Commission. Additionally scores were present including media institutions, Community Based Organizations, academic institutions and donor entities that work on democracy deepening, violence monitoring, protection of human rights, upholding the rule of law and promoting good governance through the twin principles of transparency and accountability.

The forum recognises the importance of the 2019 elections and will be setting up sub committees and action plans in the various areas related to the pre-election period. For these elections the Forum has set itself an ambitious target of 10 000 election observers to cover every voting station in the province. In addition, it is envisaged that the forum will lay an active role in pre-election monitoring to ensure that the entire electoral cycle is geared towards the promotion of credible, free and fair elections.