Mankweng security officer bailed at R500 after ballot paper photos at Mentz polling station

A 40-year-old security officer arrested by Mankweng Police over an alleged contravention of the Electoral Act 27 of 2000 has been granted R500 bail by the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court.

Morongwa Emily Kupa appeared before the court on Thursday, 05 November 2026. She is expected back in court on 08 December 2026.

The arrest followed an incident at Megoring Voting Station in Mentz Village. According to the police account, Kupa was allegedly caught taking photographs of her marked ballot paper with a cellphone at about 11:05.

A political party agent monitoring the electoral process alerted officials after allegedly seeing her photograph the ballot paper, the South African Police Service said in a statement issued by the office of the Limpopo provincial commissioner. The officer, accompanied by other party agents who had also allegedly witnessed the incident, approached her and asked to inspect the cellphone, according to the statement.

Police say Kupa showed them the photographs, which they describe as confirming she had taken pictures of her marked ballot paper. While the group was viewing the images, she allegedly deleted them.

She was told the matter was a police matter and was asked to remain at the voting station while police were contacted. Police say she left the premises before officers arrived. A case docket was opened after police attended the scene.

Kupa was arrested on Thursday, 05 November 2026 at around 07:00. She is employed as a security officer.

The account is drawn from a South African Police Service media statement, which summarises the allegations rather than reproducing the docket or the court record. The charges have not been tested in court.

The SAPS statement is available at https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=72285. Enquiries on the statement were directed to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.