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Cope MP claims EFF members 'high fived' after voting more than once

Congress of the People (Cope) MP Deidre Carter has claimed that she had seen EFF members "high fiving" one another after allegedly managing to vote twice in the elections on Wednesday," The Citizen reported. 

According to EWN, Carter then decided to test the system, claiming that she could have voted a number of times using her own ID.

She reported the matter to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) nationally and provincially and has also reported the allegations against the EFF.

When Carter returned to the voting station where she had cast her vote, she reportedly removed the mark on her thumb with bleach.

"I didn't even have to rub it, it was gone," she said, according to EWN. 

According to The Citizen, she proceeded to another voting station in Cape Town to see if she could get as far as being given another ballot paper.

At different stations, she could reportedly repeatedly be given more printed slips from the IEC's scanners, since they are not linked to any central live database, and she went to five stations in total. She showed reporters each of the slips she had collected along the way.

Complaints of double voting

Addressing journalists at the IEC operations centre in Cape Town on Wednesday night, Carter claimed she was able to do all of this within the space of an hour, from around 17:00.

"This is really a concern. How many people are out there who are not honest? How many people out there have voted more than once?" she asked.

Carter said, given the advantages of the fourth industrial revolution, these problems should not exist.

News24 on Wednesday reported that smaller parties had warned the IEC that there may be consequences for it over its inability to efficiently respond to objections lodged on voting day. 

READ: Smaller parties cry foul over 'double voting' danger, other objections during IEC process

At least three smaller parties lodged complaints with the IEC over the closure of some voting stations, a lack of ballot papers, and the ability to easily remove indelible ink, which is used to verify that people have voted.

During a media briefing at the IEC's results centre in Tshwane on Wednesday night, shortly before 00:00, the commission's former CEO and current commissioner Mosotho Moepya said two separate instances had been brought to its attention involving allegations that voters had cast more than one vote at different voting stations.

Checks and safeguards

"The commission views these allegations in the most serious light and has launched investigations into these incidents. Fortunately the election process contains a number of checks and safeguards which, together, serve to protect the integrity of the process," he said.

At a separate media briefing at the Western Cape's results centre late on Wednesday night, commissioner Courtney Sampson said the chances that a person could vote more than once were minimal. 

This was partly in response to Carter's claims.

"But if anybody can bring us proof - and I'm not talking about rumours - action will be taken," Sampson said.

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