Voting Violations Lead to 20 Arrests in Gauteng

Police in Gauteng have arrested people who violated the elections rules.

(The Post News)- At least 20 people have been arrested in Gauteng for violating the voting rules and disrupting the democratic process, on Wednesday and Thursday in Gauteng province. The arrests were made at various voting stations across the province, where they were find guilty of engaging in illegal activities, including taking pictures inside polling booths, stealing political parties posters and engaging in physical fights on the voting stations.

According to the electoral Commission, the arrests were made in accordance with the Electoral Act, which prohibits certain behaviours that compromise the integrity of the electoral process.

“We take the integrity of our democracy very seriously, and we will not tolerate any behaviour that undermines the voting process” said a spokesperson for the commission.

On the eve of the election day, the electoral Commission of South Africa reminded voters to avoid taking pictures of their marked ballot papers. He stated that “voters are reminded that it is an offence to take and publish photographs that reveal a person’s vote on a ballot paper. The purpose of this law is to maintain the secrecy of your vote and the privacy of others. It is crucial to understand this regulation in the context of its purpose to protect vulnerable voters from coercion.

The arrested individuals, who have not been named, are expected to face charges related to electoral fraud, vandalism, and disturbing the peace. Their actions, which included taking pictures of market ballots, fighting at the voting station, destroying electoral materials, assaulting electoral officials and stealing of political party posters on the streets are considered serious offense that undermine the democratic process.

“One of the accused people has made a court appearance, while the rest of the arrested people will soon appear before prioritized courts” said Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili.

The arrests serve as a warning to those who would seek to disrupt the electoral process and demonstrate the commitment of the authorities to ensuring free and fair elections. “We will do everything in our power to protect the integrity of our democracy and ensure that all citizens can exercise their right to vote without fear of intimidation or disruption”, said a police spokesperson.

This incident serves as a reminder to all citizens to respect the rules and regulations that govern the electoral process, and to prioritize the integrity of our democracy, said IEC spokeperson.