Springs - Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) staff who worked at a Springs voting station, where two ballot boxes were found in a party agent's home, have been removed, the commission said on Tuesday.
“The area is in Springs, in Kwatema. It is ward 77. It is a voting station which we had approved 14 special votes (for). Two persons voted and there is no issue with that,” Gauteng electoral officer Mashego Sheburi said.
“The staff at that station have been relieved while the investigation continues.”
He said that when the station, which was open for special votes, closed on Monday the presiding officer and party agents agreed to store some of the materials elsewhere overnight.
“That station was a temporary station, a tent, so it wasn't safe to store materials,” said Sheburi.
“They agreed for it to be kept at a house. We weren't aware of the facts at the time. Police were called and they found two ballot boxes.”
He said the IEC accounted for the votes cast at the station, with the integrity of the votes not in question.
“They 1/8the ballots 3/8 come in packs of a hundred and we have 98, and only two people came to that station.”
Sheburi said a docket had been opened by police, with a number of statements having already been taken.
“The allegation was that the party agent was a member of the ANC, but this has not actually been verified.”
He said the IEC was ready for Wednesday's elections in Gauteng.
“We are ready and prepared to receive over six million voters in the province at 2647 stations across the province.”
Sapa