Earlier today the News was on the scene at the IEC offices in Krugersdorp, where various political parties were disputing the votes from Wednesday’s local election.
The discrepancies, raised mainly by the EFF, range from votes travelling unescorted from voting stations to the counting station, to ballot boxes that took 13 hours to get to a destination which is only 15 minutes away from the voting station. The votes in question were allegedly travelling from Kagiso to Krugersdorp.
Read more:
IEC responds to ballot boxes found
Ballot boxes and voting documents found in veld
Eric Baloyi, an EFF representative, says that some ballot boxes arrived at counting stations unsealed, and Ward 7’s slips were not updated accordingly. He added that he does not understand why officials have continued capturing the votes, as a dispute has been lodged against the votes.
“At 4.30pm yesterday, when the ANC was at 48 per cent, officials stopped counting, and then the diary and voting slips went missing. I suspect foul play,” he said.
The News has tried to contact a spokesperson for the IEC for urgent comment on this matter, but was told to send an email requesting comment to the IEC. Our mail is yet to receive a response.
This is the second election-related incident in less than 24 hours, the first being the dumped ballot boxes found in Koedoe Park, Rant-en-Dal.
The News has since received feedback from the IEC via Twitter:
Ballot boxes left behind by officials not following disposal procedure does not necessarily mean election is compromised.
— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) August 5, 2016
Remember each ballot is barcoded & can be tracked to a voting station, and tallied.
— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) August 5, 2016
Appropriate action will be taken against officials found to contravene our procedures. Tx.
— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) August 5, 2016
