Elections 2024: Wrong ‘poster tampering’ conclusion ahead of the polls
Removal of rain-damaged election posters in Richards Bay sparks poster tampering concerns
IT was a case of ‘wrong assumption’ when men were spotted in broad daylight on Saturday, apparently cutting down opposition election posters before erecting those of their own party.
A female motorist who witnessed the activity as she slowly drove past, said she would report the matter at the Richards Bay Police Station.
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“They were pulling posters off and dumping them on the ground before putting up their own ones in the highest position on the poles.
“I did not see a vehicle close by but there was a grey car a bit further down the road,” said the witness.
The posters in question were located along the lower stretch of the R619 and leading into the John Ross highway at the canal intersection.
Along with discarded posters of the SA Rainbow Alliance and ActionSA, also strewn on the ground were IEC and advertising placards.
However, it emerged that the poles along that section were full of posters that had been badly damaged during last week’s heavy rain and winds, and these were the posters that were being ripped down.
“In fact, many of them we removed were our own that had also been damaged,” said a Freedom Front Plus member.
“We in fact had to replace 63 of ours due to rain damage, as we reported on our Facebook page.”
The incident did, however, bring to public attention the matter of poster tampering, which accompanies every general and municipal election.
IEC King Cetshwayo District regional supervisor Stella Dlamini said, while all parties signed the Electoral Code of Conduct aimed at supporting free and fair elections, the matter of poster tampering was a purely criminal one and did not fall under the IEC’s mandate.
Police would investigate such complaints when reported and the matter, including possible penalties, would be decided in court.
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