File: A pair of handcuffs. Getty Images/Daniel Tadevosyan
POLOKWANE - Limpopo police have arrested 20 suspects for various election-related offences since the start of special voting on Monday.
The arrests were made during special voting on Monday and Tuesday, as well as national voting on Wednesday.
Provincial police say approximately 33 election-related incidents were recorded across the province.
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These include alleged contraventions of the Electoral Act 73 of 1998, fraud, common assault, malicious damage to property and pointing of a firearm.
Some of the Electoral Act violations involved individuals allegedly photographing their marked ballot papers and circulating the images on social media.
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Provincial Police Commissioner Jan Scheepers says such conduct is prohibited by electoral legislation and undermines the secrecy and integrity of the voting process.
Scheepers has welcomed the arrests and commended law enforcement agencies for helping to ensure a safe and peaceful election period.
Some of the suspects have already started appearing in local magistrates’ courts.