POLICE in KwaZulu-Natal have opened a case of burglary for investigation after voting materials belonging to the Electoral Commission (IEC) were reportedly stolen from a voting station in Hillcrest between Tuesday (November 3) night and Wednesday (November 4) morning.

KZN SAPS spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said it is reported that the IEC’s Presiding Officer went to the school which is used as a voting station and put sensitive material such as inks, voters’ roll, and ballot papers inside an unlockable guard house on Tuesday evening.

“The Presiding Officer reportedly locked the school gate and left. According to information, there was a group of about 10 people who could see what the official was doing inside the guard house. The school does not have a security guard overnight.

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“When the Presiding Officer arrived at the school on Wednesday morning, she noticed that the gate of the school was opened and there were people who were standing outside the school gate. When she proceeded to the guard house, she found that ballot papers and other IEC materials were stolen. The matter was then reported to the police.

“Police investigations will also endeavour to establish why ballot papers were transported to a voting station at night before the elections, and without police escort. Part of police’s responsibilities during the elections is to escort Presiding Officers with sensitive materials from warehouses to voting stations and back without fail, and the movement of sensitive material is done on the day of the elections,” said Netshiunda.

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