The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Shiburi says unmarked and unused ballot papers were stolen in Ward 2 in eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal.
Shiburi says a stamp used to validate the ballots for special votes was also stolen.
He says the commission has put measures in place to detect the stolen ballots should they resurface at any of the voting stations.
“A case has been opened with the SAPS and the affected staff has been relieved of their duties for their dereliction at the affected voting station,” adds Shiburi.
Shiburi has also cautioned IEC staff against turning away voters wearing political party regalia.
The IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer says only candidates and party agents are prohibited from wearing political party regalia within the boundaries of voting stations.
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KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Electoral Officer Ntombifuthi Masinga says parties are not allowed to escort IEC officials when transporting ballot papers to the storage facilities.
Masinga says only SAPS officials are allowed to escort IEC staff to the storage facilities.
She says parties are allowed to affix their seals on ballot boxes once the ballot box has been sealed by IEC officials.
The commission says it has beefed up security at ballot storage facilities in KwaZulu-Natal.
According to SAPS, KwaZulu-Natal accounts for 165 of the high-risk voting stations, with 124 of these in eThekwini alone.
The IEC says it is confident that it will deliver unquestionable election results.
On Monday, the provincial IEC terminated the services of a presiding officer, who transported election material in an e-hailing vehicle branded with a political party’s colours and logo.