Three arrested in Limpopo over election intimidation and ballot paper photograph

Three men face electoral charges following separate incidents in Tzaneen and Giyani, Limpopo.

Three men have been arrested in Limpopo in separate election-related incidents, including the alleged intimidation of an Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) official over a suspected tampered ballot box and the photographing of a marked ballot paper.

The arrests took place in Tzaneen and Giyani, under the Mopani District, during the 2026 Local Government Elections.

Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the suspects were arrested in two separate cases involving alleged intimidation and contraventions of electoral legislation.

Ledwaba said two men, aged 34 and 46, were arrested following an alleged intimidation incident at the IEC offices in Tzaneen on Tuesday, November 3, at approximately 9pm.

The incident reportedly began when concerns were raised about a ballot box from the Tingitsi voting station, which allegedly had a hole in the middle, raising suspicions of possible tampering.

"According to the complainant, an IEC Regional Area Manager, she was attending a virtual meeting when she was alerted to concerns raised by a group of people regarding a ballot box from Tingitsi voting station, which allegedly had a hole in the middle and was suspected of possible tampering," he said.

The official subsequently went to the IEC offices, where the group allegedly demanded that the ballot box be opened and its contents counted in their presence.

Following consultations with the Provincial Electoral Manager, instructions were issued for the ballot box to be sealed and placed under quarantine.

"During the process, the two suspects allegedly mobilised members of the group to disrupt the procedure and threatened and intimidated the complainant," Ledwaba said.

The two suspects are expected to appear before the Tzaneen Magistrate's Court on Friday, November 6.

In a separate incident in Giyani, a 35-year-old man was arrested for allegedly photographing a marked ballot paper.

"In a separate incident in Giyani, a 35-year-old man was arrested for allegedly contravening Regulation 38(1)(a) of the Electoral Act 73 of 1998 by taking a photograph of a marked ballot paper," Ledwaba said.

The suspect is expected to appear before the Giyani Magistrate's Court, although the date of his appearance has not been confirmed.

Ledwaba said all three suspects face charges under electoral legislation.