S. African police arrest 20 for suspected double voting in elections

Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-13 23:21:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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CAPE TOWN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Police have arrested 20 suspects allegedly involved in "double voting" in the May 8 general elections, the government said on Monday.

The suspects were arrested after "attempting to vote for a second time during the 2019 general elections," the government said in a statement as an investigation is going on into the alleged "double voting."

Of the suspects, 19 were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal Province and one in Gauteng Province, according to the statement.

The swift response in investigating and arresting all the suspects who alleged to have committed electoral fraud is commendable, the statement said.

"Law enforcement agencies will leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to book," said the statement.

Last Wednesday, South Africans went to the polls to elect their representatives for the National and Provincial Legislative Assemblies.

In the elections, the ruling party African National Congress emerged as the winner, capturing about 57.51 percent of the votes.

The elections also endorsed a full term for President Cyril Ramaphosa who took over Jacob Zuma in February 2018 when the latter resigned over corruption allegaions.

A coalition of 35 smaller parties claimed that the elections were marred by "double voting."

These parties threatened to go to court and demanded an election rerun but was rejected by the Independent Electoral Commission.

In its Monday statement, the government confirmed that all the 22, 924 voting stations across the country were secured on the day of the elections without major incidents, creating conditions for a free and fair election conducted in a safe and secure environment.

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