A man was arrested on Monday for trying to vote twice in the local government elections at the Sindawonye Primary School polling station in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria.

A party agent, who declined to be named, said the man had arrived at the station in the morning, cast his vote and left.  

“I was shocked when I scanned his ID at about noon and it showed that he had voted,” the agent said.

National police spokesperson Brig Vish Naidoo confirmed that a man, 49, had been arrested for allegedly voting more than once.

He said the man had removed the ink on his thumb which showed that he had voted and when confronted he had said he wanted to vote for another party as he was not happy with his earlier decision. 

“I hope voters realise that it is a crime to attempt to vote twice and I hope the law will use him as an example,” the agent said.