The Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Masego Shiburi, says legal action will be taken against members of the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party for illegally interfering with operations in one of its warehouses at Hammarsdale, west of Durban.
This comes after videos circulating on social media showing MK members citing irregularities in the delivery of voting material being delivered to different parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Shiburi has strongly condemned the threatening of their staff.
“In Hammarsdale, a group of persons purported to be members, supporters, or leaders of MK took over our warehouse, detained our people there, refused for them to leave and started circulating videos on social media claiming that they found millions of ballot boxes already marked for a particular party. That can’t be further from the truth. They were marked properly with the details of the voting stations and in any case, there are standard verifications that must happen before a voting station is open. We will take action because this is a flagrant disregard of the law prohibiting anyone from interfering with electoral operations.”
PODCAST | Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Shiburi’s interview on SAFM:
Cele condemns violence
Meanwhile, Police Minister Bheki Cele has condemned acts of violence in some parts of the country ahead of the elections.
Incidents of attacks on members of political parties during electioneering have become widespread in parts of the country.
In Tshwane, Democratic Alliance (DA) members were allegedly attacked by a group of unknown people in Mshongoville in Attredgeville last week while putting up election campaign posters.
More incidents of political intolerance have also occurred in the North West and Limpopo.
Cele says political parties should work with the police to ensure the smooth running of the elections.
“As we observe the space going forward, we have found some little bit of stabilisation than other elections. I hope prosecutors themselves will take the matter of breaking the law very seriously but we are also speaking with political parties themselves and they are coming together in the monitoring of the elections.”
VIDEO | Bheki Cele slams election-related violence:
