Mankweng Woman Granted R500 Bail After Arrest for Photographing Marked Ballot Paper
A 40-year-old woman accused of violating South Africa’s electoral laws during the 2026 Local Government Elections has been granted bail by the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court.
Morongwa Emily Kupa appeared in court on Thursday, 05 November 2026, following her arrest by the Mankweng Police for allegedly contravening the Electoral Act 27 of 2000.
The court granted her bail set at R500, and she is scheduled to make her next appearance on 08 December 2026.
The charges stem from an incident at the Megoring Voting Station in Mentz Village.
According to police reports, Kupa was allegedly caught using her cellphone to take photographs of her marked ballot paper at approximately 11:05 AM.
A political party agent monitoring the voting process noticed the activity and immediately alerted election officials.
Accompanied by other party agents who also witnessed the incident, the official approached Kupa and requested to inspect her phone.
While Kupa initially complied and showed them the photographs—effectively confirming she had photographed her marked ballot—she allegedly deleted the digital evidence while the team was reviewing it.
Electoral officials informed her that the action constituted a criminal offense and requested that she remain at the voting station while authorities were contacted.
However, she allegedly fled the premises before the police could arrive.
Following the incident, police opened a case docket at the scene. A targeted investigation led to Kupa’s arrest early Thursday morning, 05 November 2026, at around 07:00 AM.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) continues to urge voters to respect the secrecy of the ballot and strictly adhere to electoral laws, reminding citizens that photographing marked ballots remains a punishable offense under the Electoral Act.
