Protests and suspected fraud tarnish voting process in NKZN
Referring to the protests in Utrecht, as well as the alleged ‘double voting’ which took place in Dannhauser, Dr Ngubane expressed regret that Amajuba District was making national headlines for, “all the wrong reasons.”
Elections 2019 were marred with widespread reports of violent protests, threats of bloodshed, double-voting, not so ‘indelible ink’ and unsealed ballot boxes, as well as the discovery of discarded ballot boxes and even a marked ballot paper.
Here is a summary of incidents that were reported in Northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Utrecht protestors boycott elections, demand better service delivery
In Utrecht (Ward 1), a mob of about 120 protestors attempted to disrupt the National and Provincial Elections by laying burning tyres and trees across the road to block access to a voting station.
The protestors expressed frustration over the fact, that the numerous service delivery complaints they had brought to the attention of the local municipality had not been attended to.
They demanded a commitment that issues around water supply, roads and electricity be addressed before they would allow anyone access to the voting station, according to Amajuba District Mayor, Dr Musa Ngubane.
“The police were called for assistance and the road was cleared by about 10am. Even though the protestors did not interfere with the voting process after that, they remained standing alongside the road and the voters roll for that particular voting station indicated that about 120 people who were registered to vote there, chose not to vote,” said Dr Ngubane.
Referring to the protests in Utrecht, as well as the alleged ‘double voting’ which took place in Dannhauser, Dr Ngubane expressed regret that Amajuba District was making national headlines for, “all the wrong reasons.”
“We don’t want to be associated with corruption, especially since the people of this country have chosen to stand behind an anti-corruption president. It puts us in a bad space. We will let the law take its course regarding the alleged election fraud,” he concluded.
IEC official tells first time voter to leave his marked ballot papers on a table
At the Bismark voting station, along the N11 just outside Newcastle, first time voter, Travis Wade, described feel uneasy after he cast a special vote on May 6.
Travis, the digital editor for Caxton Local Media (NKZN), received a phone call from an official at the Bismark voting station early that morning, requesting he go and vote as soon as possible, as the voting station was not busy.
“When I got there at about 10.30am, the small tent that served as the voting station seemed completely deserted. Inside, the only people were four IEC officials. I took my ID card out of my wallet anticipating that they would want to check my voting status, but they didn’t seem to need it.”
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