Stolen ballots, armed voter and arrests mark election day

Yesterday's local government elections in South Africa saw multiple incidents unfold, ranging from stolen ballot papers to an armed voter being removed from a voting station and clashes with police. Despite these challenges, voting proceeded smoothly in most areas, with 98% of the country's 23,696 voting stations open by 7am.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the theft of ballot papers and an official stamp from Mnyameni Secondary School near Botha's Hill was discovered on Wednesday morning. The school's presiding officer had left the sensitive materials inside a guardhouse on Tuesday evening. Police investigated the burglary and confirmed the materials would not be unlawfully used.

In Cape Town, Mitchells Plain saw police remove an armed voter who became disruptive. Four suspects, including two minors, were arrested in nearby Hanover Park after police came under attack during a protest at the civic centre voting station. One officer suffered a hand injury and fired warning shots during the incident.

In Umlazi's M Section, a man was arrested for allegedly assaulting police officers after arriving drunk and appearing under the influence. A police sergeant was also removed from duty in Donnybrook after arriving at a voting station with political party posters on his vehicle. Three K9 officers sustained minor injuries when their vehicle hit two cattle while traveling to a voting station.

Heavy rain disrupted voting in KwaZulu-Natal, making two stations in Umzumbe inaccessible. Police and soldiers assisted in reaching the affected stations. Nationally, over 3.5 million voters had cast their ballots by 10am, and the IEC appealed for patience in areas experiencing delays.