The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is searching for a ballot box that went missing in KwaZulu-Natal.
Addressing the media at a press briefing at the National Results Operational Centre at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on Thursday, IEC General Manager Granville Abrahams, said the ballot box was transported in an open bakkie from a voting station in the province.
He said the ballot box, containing votes that had already been counted, went missing in transit from the voting station Matamzana Dube School in VD 43412767, KZN282, uMhlathuze in the King Cetshwayo District Municipality.
“I wish to emphasise that those votes have been counted and they have been recorded on the results slip,” Abrahams said.
“The Commission is required to retain ballot boxes for a period of six months before disposing of them. We are quite eager to get back that ballot box so that it can be placed in storage.”
Meanwhile, police have arrested at least 50 people for various crimes relating to the elections.
According to National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) chairperson, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, 98 cases of contravention of the Electoral Act have been opened since Monday.
Mosikili said some of the cases include malicious damage to property, stealing of political party posters on the streets, destroying electoral material, assaulting electoral officials, while some of the cases are of intimidation.
IOL News