At least South Africa Independent Electoral Commission, IEC, has fired four officials for misconduct and negligence in Mpumalanga, a province in eastern South Africa.

Briefing the media at the provincial results centre at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday, electoral officer in Mpumalanga, Jabulisile Mthethwa, said: “In Ermelo, I can report that we immediately removed those people who engaged in an uninformed procedure about the ballot box and the ballot papers.

“Also, in Thembisile Hani municipality we released another presiding officer because he left his colleagues to go to his nearby house. Going home, he took along a ballot box with him... though there was no tempering on the box, we decided to release him.”

He said another presiding officer in Dr JS Moroka municipality was dismissed for allowing two elderly people to vote although they were not on the voters' roll.

“We view this as a transgression and failure to follow procedures, so we also released him from his duties.”

Deputy president David Mabuza voted at Azuri farm in Barberton. He said he was very happy to cast his vote, which brought back memories of the first democratic elections 25 years ago.