EFF alleges ANC members have ‘organised themselves’ to vote twice

Party spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said one ANC councillor was reportedly caught voting in two voting stations in Marikana.

He named one ANC ward councillor who voted at the Marikana High School and Marikana Community Hall.

“In essence these people remove the ink that is put on our thumbs, then go and vote in a different voting station.

“We call on the IEC to tighten its systems to avert this madness of ANC thugs. No one must vote more than once. The principle is one person one vote. It is not only illegal, but a direct assault on our democracy.”

An anonymous caller revealed to talk radio 702 on Wednesday that he had personally proven that he was able to vote twice by going to two different schools in Westbury because his ink came off.

There have been various calls and tweets about the voting ink coming off too easily.

The EFF later also alleged that the ANC was making people who’d already voted using special votes vote again on Wednesday, claiming that some special voters were effectively being allowed to vote “three times”.

The Independent Electoral Commission made it clear that anyone deliberately trying to remove the ink from their nails was committing a crime and stood to be prosecuted.

IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo said: “The Electoral Commission has also noted media and social media reports of voters who have attempted or apparently been able to remove the indelible ink on their thumbs. The indelible ink is one of a number of security checks and safeguards built into the election process.

“The commission wishes to remind all voters that any attempt to undermine the integrity of the electoral process, including attempting to remove the indelible ink constitute an electoral offence, which is punishable upon conviction by sentence of 10 years in jail,” he added.

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