IEC says voter data is safe following concerns over break-in

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has given the assurance that voters’ data is safe as they back up their systems on a regular basis.

IEC’s spokesperson, Kate Bapela, was speaking to YNews following a break-in at the electoral body’s Houghton offices on Sunday.

A laptop, belonging to an administrator, is the only item that was stolen during the incident.

Bapela says South Africans shouldn’t be alarmed by this as employees do not carry the database of voters to avoid potential threats to the integrity of elections.

She doesn’t believe that the break-in was a plot to sabotage the May 29 elections.

Despite this, however, Bapela says they will be looking at beefing up security at their offices.

Political analyst, Dirk Kotze, agrees with Bapela that the break-in shouldn’t worry South Africans.

However, Kotze says the commission will have to strengthen its security to avoid hacking or any breaches.

On the legal battle the IEC is engaged in with the newly formed MK Party, Kotze says it’s nothing new.

He believes the IEC is being honest when it says it’s taken the question over former president, Jacob Zuma’s candidacy to the Constitutional Court to seek clarity and ensure that it applies the law correctly.

The historic case will be heard before the Apex Court next week Friday.

Speaking on the allegations that the MK party forged signatures, Kotze says the IEC will need to verify whether the signatures of the members of the party are of registered voters.

He says while this could result in another legal dispute, he does not foresee a postponement of the elections to deal with the issue.