A security stamp and unmarked ballot papers were stolen from a voting station at Mnyameni Secondary School in eThekwini on Tuesday night, the night before voting day, according to reports of the incident. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says the presiding officer has been removed from the post while police investigate.
What happened
The presiding officer arrived on Wednesday to find the school gate open and no documents in the guard house, according to the reports. Police said there was no overnight guard at the station.
The presiding officer allegedly left sensitive material, including the voters' roll, in a guard house that had no lock. No arrests have been reported and no suspects have been identified.
What the IEC says
IEC official Ntombifuthi Masinga confirmed that the presiding officer was removed from the post while police investigate. A new security stamp was issued for Wednesday, and the IEC had issued new stamp codes the previous morning, urging staff and officials to be wary of the old stamp.
The IEC said extra checks would apply in eThekwini: "What will be different in eThekwini is that we will not only be checking if the ballot is stamped, we are also checking if the stamp that was used is the authentic stamp."
What we do not yet know
It has not been made public how many ballots and stamps were taken, or exactly when the theft happened. It is also unclear whether the stolen stamp or any stolen ballots were used, and whether any votes were affected. No police case number or spokesperson statement has been published. Anyone with information should contact the South African Police Service.
