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Police report 21 criminal cases during special voting

Published

Ongoing: Elections Hot

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) said six people were arrested and five of the cases have reached court. The cases include murder, theft, arson and intimidation, and police are probing two deaths linked to the elections.

NatJOINTS co-chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili briefed the media on Tuesday evening. She said police opened the case dockets over the two days of special voting, ahead of the local government elections on Wednesday, 4 November.

Police are investigating the death of an Electoral Commission presiding officer in the North West. They are also investigating the killing of a regional leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party in KwaZulu-Natal.

Other arrests include two suspects for impersonating an election official at Ingcobo in the Eastern Cape. One suspect was held for destroying election material in Mmametlake, and one for malicious damage to property in Pienaar, both in Mpumalanga.

Mosikili urged political parties, members and supporters to show tolerance and restraint. She said the investigating team will follow all leads to bring those responsible to justice. She also said contingency measures are in place for power interruptions in some municipalities.

Key facts

Who
Tebello Mosikili (Lieutenant General, co-chairperson of NatJOINTS, briefed the media); National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (body that briefed the media on election security); Electoral Commission (election management body; presiding officer and official impersonation involved); uMkhonto weSizwe Party (party whose regional leader was killed in KwaZulu-Natal)
What
Police have opened 21 case dockets since Monday over election-related incidents during special voting, including murder, theft, arson and intimidation, and six suspects have been arrested. Police are also investigating the death of an IEC presiding officer in the North West and the killing of an MK Party regional leader in KwaZulu-Natal.
When
3 November 2026
Where
KwaZulu-Natal, North West, Eastern Cape
Status
Reported

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