MIDRAND - The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has issued a stern warning against individuals and parties inciting violence and disrupting the electoral process.
The warning comes amid growing concerns over prohibited conduct and criminal behaviour by some supporters of political parties.
According to IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo, some of these actions identified range from intimidation of officials, disruption of voting processes, and tampering with election material.
Briefing the media on Tuesday, Mamabolo pointed to an instance in Mpumalanga where a candidate was arrested for allegedly storming into a voting station and damaging electoral material.
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Similarly, in KwaZulu-Natal, Mamabolo said there was an instance where supporters of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party allegedly stormed the Dassenhoek Library satellite warehouse where election materials are kept and held election officials hostage.
“Public order policing was called in to disperse the supporters and secure the officials and the election materials. Fortunately, the group left peacefully after engagement with the South African Police Service,” he added.
The SAPS have also arrested two people in the Eastern Cape for allegedly impersonating an IEC official.
It is alleged that the suspects arrived at Ngcobo Police Station to collect voting material, claiming they had been sent by the presiding officer; however, the presiding officer was already at the station and had not authorised anyone to collect the materials.
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Mamabolo warned against this conduct, saying that the Commission will take the necessary legal steps to bring the identified individuals and political parties to account.
“Such conduct cannot be justified nor allowed to impair the country's electoral process.”
IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya echoed the warning, reminding political parties and their candidates that they have signed a code of conduct which, amongst others, requires them to promote conduct that is conducive to the holding of free and fair elections.
“We are going to look at whether they are not violating the code of conduct... This is unacceptable and must be condemned. We will do what is possible to ensure that the law is upheld,” he added.