Pretoria:The Electoral Commission (IEC) has issued a strong condemnation of incidents involving intimidation, disruption, and damage to election materials during the special voting period of the 2026 Local Government Elections. The IEC announced that legal action is being pursued against those responsible, including individuals and political parties.

According to South African Government News Agency, IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo highlighted a concerning increase in prohibited conduct among some party supporters and candidates. These actions include the intimidation of election officials, disruption of voting processes, and tampering with election materials.

Mamabolo specifically mentioned incidents that occurred in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. In Mpumalanga, an Economic Freedom Fighters candidate was arrested after storming a voting station and damaging electoral materials. In KwaZulu-Natal, supporters of the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party disrupted the Dasenhoek Library satellite warehouse, holding election officials hostage. Police intervention was required to resolve the situation peacefully.

Mamabolo emphasized that such conduct undermines the country's democratic processes and stated that the IEC is taking necessary legal steps to ensure accountability. He urged all political parties and candidates to adhere to the code of conduct throughout the election process.

The IEC also reported that by midday, 1.3 million special votes had been cast, reflecting significant voter participation in the special voting period.