Mandela Bay vote may have been compromised: IEC

The IEC has admitted that dumped ballots found outside the results centre in Nelson Mandela Bay may have "compromised" the voting process.

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Port Elizabeth - The IEC’s integrity has come under scrutiny after batches of marked ballot boxes were found outside the results operating centre in the hotly-contested Nelson Mandela Bay metro.

Eastern Cape IEC regional supervisor Crosby Bacela admitted that the incident may have “compromised” the voting process in the metro.

However, he said all the ballots had already been captured onto the system.

The ballots, showing votes for the ANC, COPE, United Front of the Eastern Cape, and the African Independent Congress, were found in a tent on the premises of the East Cape Training Centre in Port Elizabeth, where the IEC’s results centre is.

DA Eastern Cape and mayoral candidate Athol Trollip said he was disappointed over the “predictable” incident.

“Why was the tent not secured? The IEC should do their job properly, why are they so lackadaisical? The ANC is trying to find someone to blame, they want to cast aspersions and doubt. This is unacceptable,” said Trollip.

COPE’s acting regional secretary Siyasanga Sijadu accused the ANC of orchestrating the incident to “steal our votes”. “These elections should be declared null and voice,” he said.

Former ANC regional boss chairman Nceba Faku said the incident was concerning.

The ruling party, he said, hoped to address it with their party liaison committee members and decide on the way forward.

The ANC and DA are running neck-and-neck in the region, and the final results are expected to be announced later on Thursday night. Both parties are confident of victory.

@luyolomkentane

luyolo.mkentane@inl.co.za

Election Bureau