IEC: Incidents did not hamper elections

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) conceded that it had received reports of a few incidents during the elections but assured that these would not impact election processes.

IEC chairperson Pansy Tlakula said, “Most of the stations functioned well and there were no irregularities, so on the whole we believe that the credibility of the election would not be affected.”

In Springs, Gauteng, a ballot box containing 16 special votes was found on the side of the road and police were investigating the incident, Tlakula said.

In Brakpan, a school in which cast ballots were stored was burgled, but the votes had already been counted.

However, she noted that these were isolated incidents.

In Tzaneen, Limpopo, a group of assailants, posing as voters, ambushed a voting station before it closed.

As a result, Tlakula said, counting at the voting station had not yet started by the afternoon of 8 May.

There was also an investigating of two shootings in KZN, which happened in the vicinity of voting stations.

Further, the IEC was concerned about protest action in Alexandra in Joburg, posing a threat to IEC and party officials.

She said there was a situation in Alexandra township between ANC and IFP supporters and the police had intervened, but no IEC officials were involved.

Tlakula refused to speculate that the incidents could be attempts to discredit the IEC and the elections, saying that the police investigations would be able to provide more clarity.

Further, logistical issues resulted in some of the votes cast overseas not being received as expected, but a decision had been made to extend the window for their transport until 5pm on 9 May.

Overall, the IEC was happy with the 2014 polls, adding that counting was progressing quickly.

She added that the IEC had only received one official complaint about the electoral process from a political party, which had been submitted by the African Christian Democratic Party.