At least 10 persons have been arrested by police in connection with alleged intimidation, assault, and violation of the Electoral Act in the Eastern Cape and Polokwane.
Two police officers are also in custody for allegedly bringing the SAPS into disrepute.
According to police spokesperson Welile Matyolo, six suspects aged between 24 and 51 were apprehended for violating the Electoral Act in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape, on Tuesday and Wednesday morning.
Matyolo said a voting station was allegedly destroyed while the group raised issues of service delivery in the area on Sunday.
He added that the same group threatened IEC officials to close the station on Monday and then burned tyres, preventing any movement in the area on Tuesday.
“OR Tambo District detective election team, assisted by Public Order Policing members, conducted an operation on Tuesday and arrested six suspects charged with contravention of the Electoral Act.
“They have been detained at Mqanduli Police Station and will appear at the Mqanduli Magistrate’s Court on Friday,” Matyolo said.
A 34-year-old man linked to cases of crimen injuria and common assault during a political campaign in Witpoort, near Lephalale, was arrested on Tuesday.
Police spokesperson Hlulani Mashaba said the suspect allegedly disrupted members of a political party during a door-to-door campaign and had been on the run since the incident.
Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe said the arrest would send a clear signal to anyone intending to disrupt the voting process in any part of the province that the police will not hesitate to act.
The suspect is expected to appear before the Phalala Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.