EFF candidate arrested, MKP supporters hold election officials hostage as IEC opens legal fight

The Electoral Commission is taking legal action against the individuals and political parties it says are behind intimidation, disruption and damage to election materials, after a candidate was arrested in Mpumalanga and election officials were held hostage in KwaZulu-Natal.

Speaking on Tuesday, the second and final day of special voting in the 2026 Local Government Elections, Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said the Commission had noted a sharp increase in prohibited conduct and what he called glaring criminal behaviour by some party supporters and candidates.

“These range from intimidation of election officials, disruption of voting processes and tampering with election materials,” Mamabolo said.

In Mpumalanga, he said, a candidate for the Economic Freedom Fighters in Ward 30 at the Phake Rankaile Voting District stormed a voting station and damaged electoral materials. The candidate was arrested by the South African Police Service.

In KwaZulu-Natal, supporters of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party stormed the Dasenhoek Library satellite warehouse where election materials are kept and held election officials hostage. Public Order Police were called in to disperse the MKP members and secure the officials and election materials. According to Mamabolo, the group left peacefully after engagement with the police.

“The above conduct cannot be justified nor be allowed to impair the country’s democratic processes,” he said. “Therefore, the Commission is taking the necessary legal steps to bring the identified individuals and political parties to account.”

The Commission appealed to all contesting parties and candidates to adhere to the code of conduct until the end of the election process.

Earlier, the Commission said 1.3 million special votes had been cast by midday.

This report is drawn from the South African Government News Agency’s summary of the Commission’s statements, which is a summary of the public record rather than the full record itself. The source is SAnews (South African Government News Agency), at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/iec-condemns-election-related-intimidation-and-disruptions.