News

Industries

Companies

Jobs

Events

People

Video

Audio

Galleries

My Biz

Submit content

My Account

Advertise with us

Criminal Law News South Africa

IEC official sentenced for local government election fraud

The Electoral Commission (IEC) has welcomed the conviction and sentencing of an elections presiding officer who fraudulently cast 24 votes during last year's Local Government Elections.
Image source: Element5 Digital from
Image source: Element5 Digital from Pexels

Nomusa Precious Gabuza, 37, was charged, convicted and sentenced after she was caught out by the internal processes of the Commission to prevent voter fraud, the IEC said in a statement.

The official was this week sentenced at the Umlazi Regional Court, in Durban.

She was found to have abused her position and broke the law by stuffing 24 ballot papers into a ballot box ahead of the 1 November 2021 Local Government Elections.

“The offence committed by Gabuza was discovered and she was arrested on the morning of 01 November 2021, before voting started. The voting process proceeded without incidents.

“The Commission lauds the partnership with political party agents, the police, the National Prosecution Authority which ensured that Gabuza was not only caught but served with justice eight months after the crime was committed,” the Commission said.

It said the conviction and sentencing was a strong affirmation of the Commission’s systems which have now been strengthened with the introduction of the Voter Management Device, which makes double voting impossible.

“It also underscores the Commission’s commitment to timely intervention and consequence management. Gabuza (37) was sentenced to three years of correctional supervision and four years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years, after she pleaded guilty to Contravention of the Local Government Municipal Electoral Act 2000,” said the IEC.

Source: SAnews.gov.za

SAnews.gov.za is a South African government news service, published by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). SAnews.gov.za (formerly BuaNews) was established to provide quick and easy access to articles and feature stories aimed at keeping the public informed about the implementation of government mandates.

Go to: http://www.sanews.gov.za
Let's do Biz