IEC and EFF differ over Mpumalanga ward candidate’s arrest

MIDRAND — An EFF ward candidate was arrested during special voting in Mpumalanga after an incident that the Electoral Commission of South Africa and the party describe differently. The IEC says the candidate stormed a Ward 30 voting station in Dr JS Moroka municipality and damaged election material. The EFF says its candidate was arrested after asking officials to seal ballot boxes properly and record their seal numbers.

Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo told a briefing on Tuesday that the commission had recorded an increase in intimidation of election officials, disruptions at voting stations and interference with voting material. The EFF set out its account of the Ward 30 arrest in a formal complaint to Mpumalanga electoral officer Gugu Langa. The complaint also raised separate concerns about whether party agents in several Mbombela wards had been able to observe the sealing of ballot boxes.

Security tightened at KwaZulu-Natal storage sites

In KwaZulu-Natal, the IEC increased security at election storage facilities after an incident at Dassenhoek Library, west of Durban. Mamabolo said people the commission identified as uMkhonto weSizwe Party supporters forced their way onto the premises and briefly held election officials hostage. Public order police secured the site and the group dispersed.

In the Eastern Cape, police reported arresting two women over allegations that they impersonated election officials to obtain voting material from Ngcobo police station. The IEC identified one of the women as a proportional representation candidate for the Ngcobo Yethu Civic Organisation.

By midday on Tuesday, the IEC estimated that 1.3 million people had cast special votes over the two days. Mamabolo said the commission was taking legal steps under the Municipal Electoral Act over the reported incidents. He also confirmed that approved special voters who missed their opportunity could still vote on Wednesday, 4 November, the main municipal election day.

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