MBOMBELA, Thursday 5 November 2026 — The Electoral Commission (IEC) has quarantined ballot boxes from two voting stations in Matsulu, Mpumalanga, following allegations that election materials were tampered with during South Africa’s local government elections.
The affected voting stations are Enzani Primary School and Matsulu Primary School, east of Mbombela.
The commission confirmed that the boxes had been isolated while provincial election authorities considered how the affected ballots should be handled.
Allegations under review
SABC News reported that representatives of political parties were allegedly involved in tampering with ballot boxes at the two stations.
The allegations have not been established as fact.
Mpumalanga IEC spokesperson Thanduxolo Chembeni confirmed that the ballot boxes had been quarantined following discussions about the reported incidents.
Chembeni said the matter had been referred to the provincial electoral officer and commissioners for consideration.
The commission will determine whether the ballots can be included in the count after reviewing the circumstances.
Counting continues elsewhere
The decision to isolate the boxes allows the commission to examine the disputed election materials separately while counting proceeds at other voting stations.
It remains unclear whether any ballots will ultimately be excluded, whether criminal complaints have been lodged or whether additional verification procedures will be required.
The IEC is responsible for ensuring that the counting and declaration of election results comply with electoral legislation.
The outcome of the review will determine how the two voting stations’ results are treated in the final municipal tally.
