At least 20 people have been arrested in Limpopo for various election-related offences during the 2026 Local Government Elections, with three suspects arrested in separate incidents in Tzaneen and Giyani expected to appear in court on Friday.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) Limpopo Division spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said on Thursday that approximately 33 cases relating to election-related incidents were registered across the province between 02 and 04 November 2026.
The offences include contraventions of the Electoral Act 73 of 1998, fraud, common assault, malicious damage to property, intimidation and pointing of a firearm.
Among the latest incidents are two arrests in Tzaneen, where men aged 34 and 46 were arrested following allegations of intimidation at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) regional office on Tuesday, 03 November.
The incident reportedly arose after a group raised concerns about a ballot box from Tingitsi voting station, which allegedly had a hole in the middle and was suspected of possible tampering.
Ledwaba said an IEC Regional Area Manager was alerted to the concerns and proceeded to the office, where members of the group allegedly demanded that the ballot box be opened and counted in their presence.
He further said following consultations with the Provincial Electoral Manager, instructions were issued for the ballot box to be sealed and placed under quarantine.
However, the two suspects allegedly mobilised members of the group to disrupt the process and threatened and intimidated the IEC official.
In a separate incident in Giyani, a 35-year-old man was arrested for allegedly contravening Regulation 38(1)(a) of the Electoral Act 73 of 1998 after taking a photograph of a marked ballot paper.
The two Tzaneen suspects are expected to appear before the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court, while the Giyani suspect will appear before the Giyani Magistrate’s Court.
Limpopo Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers has welcomed the arrests and commended SAPS members, other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders for their efforts in maintaining peace and stability throughout the election period.
Scheepers reiterated that police would not hesitate to act against anyone who violates the law, irrespective of their position or affiliation.
He further assured the public that all reported election-related cases would be investigated and dealt with in accordance with the law.
