Police investigate

Photo: Video Screenshot

Police investigate Zille after she was dragged from voting station

An IEC Presiding officer has opened a case against Helen Zille who was dragged from a voting station last week.

Police investigate

Photo: Video Screenshot

Police are investigating DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille after an IEC Presiding officer has opened a case against her. 

TWO CHARGES WERE OPENED AGAINST ZILLE

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo, the officer opened the case on Friday. 

He said the following charges were opened against Zille: 

Charge 1: 

Section 73(1) and (2) read with sect 79 and 80(a) of local Government municipal electoral act 27 of 2000 failing to comply with instructions.

Charge 2: 

Sect 75(b) read with sec 79 of local Government municipal electoral act 27 of 2000 engage in any political activity other than casting a vote in the area within the boundaries of a voting station.

Naidoo said the case is under investigation.

WHERE DID IT ALL START?

This comes after the drama unfolded at a voting station at the Fernwood Park Primary School last week. 

A police officer dragged Zille from the voting station, and it was all captured on video. 

The video has been doing the rounds on social media platforms.

Zille later confirmed that she had opened a case of assault against the police officer on her Facebook page.

She was accused of canvassing at a polling queue but denied this, maintaining she was merely greeting voters and encouraging them not to be deterred by the long queue.

ALSO READ: Ipid investigate case of assault against the officer who dragged Zille from voting station [VIDEO]

Zille also expressed her unhappiness at “poorly trained” IEC presiding officers. 

She said she had encountered several instances of the “IEC’s incompetence” on voting day.

“I encountered several today. But this level of obstructiveness is only from Latola.

“Cadre deployment, right down the level of individual voting stations, has destroyed the IEC.

“The delays today at the Fernwood Park Primary Voting Station were clearly deliberate, and scores of voters left without voting in this DA stronghold. The same, apparently, applies in many other places.

If elections lose their credibility in South Africa, the IEC will have much to answer for, as I experienced today (1 November 2021) at Fernwood Park Primary,” Zille said.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) confirmed earlier this week that it is investigating a case of assault against the police officer. 

“Ipid is investigating a case of assault where it is alleged that the complainant is Helen Zille. It is alleged that she opened a case of assault against a police officer.

“It is also alleged that there was a person who was taking a video of the incident, and the police took his phone, which was later handed back to him. This person later opened a theft case.”