How the IEC plans to spot stolen ballots in KwaNyuswa
DURBAN — The stamp on the back of each ballot paper will give election officials a way to detect attempted use of the materials stolen from Mnyameni Secondary School in KwaNyuswa, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said on Wednesday. Officials issued a replacement stamp after the theft. Its mark can be distinguished from that of the missing stamp, and the IEC said checks would cover all 20 voting stations in eThekwini’s Ward 2.
The theft took place on Tuesday night at the school near Botha’s Hill. A ballot box, unused ballot papers, a copy of the voters’ roll and a security pack containing the official stamp were reported stolen. Deputy chief electoral officer Masego Sheburi confirmed that the missing papers were unmarked. The commission did not give a figure for how many were taken.
Missing voters’ roll delays polling
For residents arriving to vote on Wednesday morning, the immediate problem was the missing roll. Officials needed a replacement copy to check voters’ names, which delayed polling at the school. KwaZulu-Natal electoral officer Ntombifuthi Masinga said the station had sufficient ballot papers and security supplies for election day. Voting continued once replacement materials arrived, East Coast Radio reported.
Sheburi said the IEC had relieved staff at the station of their duties over what he described as a failure to safeguard the material. The commission also opened a theft case with the South African Police Service. Its briefing identified the security lapse but did not identify who took the box, papers or stamp.
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