Police crack down on election-related crimes in Limpopo, Eastern Cape

In Limpopo and Eastern Cape provinces, authorities have ramped up efforts to combat election-related crimes. Limpopo Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers reported that 33 such crimes had been recorded in the region. Some arrested individuals who took photos of their marked ballots and shared them on social media appeared in court, while others were released on bail. Eleven arrests were made for photographing ballot papers, with investigations ongoing in other cases.

In the Eastern Cape, police apprehended three suspects in relation to an arson attack on a ward councillor's home in Tsitsikamma two weeks prior. The councillor's residence was set ablaze by a petrol bomb, according to authorities. Acting on intelligence, police stopped a Sports Utility Vehicle on the R102 in Coldstream. The car was found to have false number plates and a forged license plate.

During a search, police recovered items allegedly intended for criminal activity, including petrol, cloth, empty liquor bottles, and a lighter. Three suspects, including a female connected to the arson victim, were taken into custody along with the two male occupants. They face charges of Conspiracy to Commit a Crime and Possession of Stolen Property. Police seized the vehicle and evidence, such as the suspected petrol, for chemical analysis.