KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police say they have registered 18 criminal cases since the start of special voting for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

Special voting took place on 2 and 3 November, while the rest of the country cast their ballots on Wednesday, 4 November.

KZN POLICE REGISTER 18 CASES DURING ELECTIONS

Acting KZN police commissioner Phumelele Makoba said the 18 cases included eight cases of contraventions of the Electoral Act, four cases of intimidation and one case each of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, common assault, malicious damage to property, burglary and fraud.

Seven suspects have been arrested and will be taken through the court process.

Meanwhile, a police sergeant has been removed from election operations as a precautionary measure following reports that she arrived at a voting station in a vehicle displaying posters of a political party.

“That is unprofessional conduct and internal investigations are underway. If any misconduct is detected, she will face disciplinary steps and possibly criminal charges,” Makoba said.

Police also registered a burglary case following the theft of sensitive IEC materials, including unmarked ballot papers, the voters’ roll and ink, at a voting station at Mnyameni High School in Hillcrest.

“The established protocol is that ballot papers and other sensitive material are transported to voting stations on the day of the elections under police escort.

“No sensitive material must be stored at a voting station. These protocols were somehow breached, and we are working closely with the IEC to investigate the matter. We shall get to the bottom of this matter and responsible individuals will be arrested,” Makoba explained.

LGE 2026 | Acting KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Major-General Phumelele Makoba confirms incidents of political intolerance involving ANC and MK Party members in parts of the province, but says the parties opted not to open cases against one another. pic.twitter.com/SInOKY5Ox8

— SABC News (@SABCNews) November 4, 2026

POLICE DEPLOYMENT TO REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT

Makoba said police deployments would remain on high alert to ensure a smooth transition towards the establishment of councils across municipalities.

She also called on political parties to demonstrate political maturity and respect the will of the people as election results continue to come in.

“Any dissatisfaction with either the electoral process or the outcomes of the voting must be expressed through prescribed channels, and not through public disorder or violent protests.

“We are confident that political parties and independent candidates will respect the rule of law as leaders of our society and abide by the Constitution of the Republic,” she said.