IEC in Mpumalanga confirms attempts to tamper with ballot boxes at 2 voting stations

JOHANNESBURG - The IEC in Mpumalanga has confirmed reported attempts to tamper with ballot boxes at two separate voting stations in the province.

IEC officials were allegedly accosted by unknown instigators at voting stations in the Steve Tshwete and Chief Albert Luthuli municipalities.

Both incidents occured on Monday, on the first day of special voting.

In the first incident, the IEC in Mpumalanga said that its officials were blocked by a group of people demanding the ballot boxes.

The IEC's Thanduxolo Chembeni said that a scuffle broke out before police were called.

"Then police came and defused the situation, and the ballot boxes were taken care of and were delivered safely to the overnight storage."

In the second incident, officials were also blocked by a group demanding to take pictures of the boxes.

"They were allowed to do that. Out of the blue, one person out of the group forcefully took one ballot box from the vehicle and in the process, the below seal broke and the ballot papers fell on the ground."

But Chembeni said that none of the special votes were compromised.

The matter has been handed over to police for investigations.