Court to decide whether to criminally charge IEC official found in possession of ballot boxes

JOHANNESBURG - A magistrate in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court is expected to decide on Thursday whether to press ahead with criminal charges against an Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) official.

Musawenkosi Mnikathi was arrested by police in Plessislaer, near Pietermaritzburg, in May after being found in possession of ballot paper boxes.

He appeared in court on Wednesday and the case was postponed for the magistrate to rule on whether Mnikathi should be charged in a criminal court or for the matter to be transferred to the Electoral Court.