Political parties have lodged a complaint with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) after a presiding officer in Mdantsane allegedly drove around a party agent wearing ANC regalia to conduct door-to-door visits on Monday.
The IEC's Eastern Cape electoral officer, Kayakazi Magudumana, confirmed a complaint had been lodged against the presiding officer of the Shad Mashologu Junior Primary School voting station in Mdantsane.
It is alleged that the officer had left the voting station with an ANC party agent in the afternoon and was seen driving around the community. At the home visits, ANC T-shirts were allegedly handed out.
"The incident involved a presiding officer that gave party agents a lift while conducting special votes home visits. The agents were confirmed to be wearing party regalia and then other parties started complaining about the issue.
"The issue was brought to provincial office management where a decision was taken that the presiding officer should return back to the voting station where she was put aside and told not to continue with her duties up until the matter was investigated."
By late Monday afternoon, preparations for a hearing into the matter were under way.
"The presiding officer also agreed to the matter to say that she indeed gave a lift to party agents," Magudumana said.
A video circulating on social media on Monday showed the presiding officer being confronted by political parties.
UDM national fundraiser and planner Pumeza Mankabane said: "We had a meeting at the voting station and agreed that she got in a car with the party agent.
"We reached a decision that the presiding officer and the agent must be removed ... because they've compromised themselves."
She said they were still waiting on the IEC report on the matter, "but we want a replacement".
EFF BCM regional co-ordinator Mziyanda Hlekiso said the party wanted the presiding officer removed and not simply moved to another voting station.
"IEC is not allowed to go with party agents in their car.
"She was caught going with an ANC party agent in the same car."
Hlekiso said they demanded an immediate explusion, describing the conduct as a "gross violation of the Electoral Act".
"It means that in the voting district the elections will not be free and fair."
Daily Dispatch