NORTHERN CAPE. – Danfrid Morolong, Bennert Hendricks, Abrich Niewenhuizen, Velaphi Makabe, Tevin Katz, Godwin Leukes, Zenobia Smit, Jennifer Lovern, Elemery Jacobs and Douglas Njiji appeared in the Douglas magistrate's court on Monday. They allegedly entered a closed polling station in Douglas during the municipal election, damaged voting materials and obstructed officials of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in their work. A rerun election will be necessary according to the IEC.
Mojalefa Senokoatsane, IEC regional spokesperson, says the accused were allegedly not accredited party agents and entered the station when officials were preparing to count votes or were already counting votes. Ballot boxes, voting booths, ballot papers, tables and chairs were allegedly damaged. The ten are charged with offences under the Local Government: Municipal Elections Act. Morolong also faces a separate charge of obstructing IEC officials in connection with an alleged incident at another polling station.
The ten remain in custody after their bail proceedings began on Monday and were postponed to today (Tuesday).
Mosotho Moepya, chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission, announced on Sunday eight November during the official announcement of the municipal election results that voters in the Jabulani community hall voting district in Douglas will vote again. The voting district falls in ward three of the Siyancuma local municipality. The IEC ordered the rerun after ballot papers were destroyed before they could be counted. Moepya has not yet announced a date for the rerun election.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
