Thirty-two people will appear in court in the Eastern Cape on Monday in connection with public violence during the Electoral Commission of SA’s (IEC) final voter registration drive this weekend for the August 3 local government elections, police said on Sunday.
At about 4pm on Saturday afternoon, 26 people, aged between 19 and 39, were arrested by public order police for allegedly forcefully closing a voting station and denying access to IEC staff at Polar Park JSS in Mthatha, Colonel Sibongile Soci said.
They would appear in the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of public violence.
Six people, aged between 19 and 44, were arrested in Ntabankulu at about midnight for allegedly digging trenches on the gravel road between Bagqozini and Mzimhlophe localities with the intention of blocking other community members from registering to vote.
They would appear in the Ntabankulu Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of public violence and malicious damage to property, Soci said.
Eastern Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Celiwe Binta said the police in the province were committed in ensuring that the voter registration process took place in a peaceful and conducive environment.
“These arrests meet the organisational objectives of the SAPS [SA Police Service] and the expectations of the communities we serve. This must also send a strong message to community members that we will bring to book those who choose to intimidate and prevent IEC operations and other community members from registering to vote. SAPS will not tolerate any acts of criminality,” Binta said.
– African News Agency (ANA)
