Two people, a journalist and a woman have been arrested after a video was posted claiming that they have cast votes more than once.
On the day of the elections, 8 May 2019 Etienne Mare (52) posted a video claiming that he was on his way to vote for a second time after hearing from Malinda Halloway (57) that she had been “able to do so herself”.
The Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (JOINTS), in a statement yesterday, promised that all of the social media postings in which people claimed to have voted more than once will be investigated and culprits brought to book.
Today, members for the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga were able to track down the suspects and arrested them.
Both Mare and Halloway appeared in the Barberton Magistrates’ Court today on charges of contravening Section 88 (d) Voting more than once, Section 89 (i)(a) Intentional making a false statement, alt fraud and Section 90(2)(a) Infringement of secrecy.
The arrest of these two suspects brings the total to 24 the number of suspects arrested for the alleged contravention of Electorate Act pertaining to attempted double votes and double votes.
These 24 include 17 from Danhauser, two from Hluhluwe, one from Izingolweni, one from Sawoti, one from Douglasdale and now the two from Barberton.
On the question of the alleged “double votes”, that is a matter under investigation by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
We request anyone with information on such contraventions to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111. Callers may remain anonymous and all information will be treated with strictest confidence.
