MKP supporters accused of illegal IEC warehouse breach in KZN - News24

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has reported that MK Party (MKP) supporters allegedly attempted to gain illegal entry to the IEC warehouses in Richmond, Umkhambathini, and Pietermaritzburg, all in KwaZulu-Natal, where voting materials were being stored.

This was among the incidents reported by deputy chief electoral officer Masego Sheburi as special voting continued well into Tuesday.

“The SAPS intervened, and the crowd was dispersed. No material was tampered with or compromised,” said Ntombifuthi Masinga, the IEC KZN provincial electoral officer.

Sheburi also reported during the lunchtime briefing at the Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Midrand that there had been another incident in the Eastern Cape, in which people tried to impersonate IEC officials and attempted to collect election material at a police station in Ngcobo.

He said the IEC was taking the necessary legal steps to bring the identified people and political parties to account.

By midday on Tuesday, a total of 1.3 million South Africans had cast their special votes, the IEC reported.

Chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo told journalists that the figure was provided conservatively.

He said of the 1.3 million, 917 000 were voting station-based, while 421 000 were home visits.

CEO Sy Mamabolo has briefed the media on Special Voting progress!🗳KNOW YOUR BALLOT PAPERS-Local municipalities: 3 ballot papers (Ward, Local Council PR, District Council PR).-Metro municipalities: 2 ballot papers (Ward, Metro Council PR).Make ONE clear X on each ballot! pic.twitter.com/dzhERzgSKU

“So, these are just high-level conservative estimates of the extent to which special votes have been undertaken,” Mamabolo said.

Mamabolo added that the IEC had done everything in line with its mandate to ensure that the country is ready for the election.

“That includes preparation of political parties as well as the registration of candidates and the eventual printing of ballot papers. All those things within the commission’s institutional and legal purview have been done.

“Now we wait for South Africans to play their role tomorrow; at 07:00 we are ready to welcome all South Africans,” Mamabolo said.

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