EMCA denies involvement in ANC ballot paper scandal
Loyiso Masuku is being congratulated by Panyaza Lesufi on her victory last December.
Image: Picture: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
The independent election management company (EMCA) has denied any role in the alleged discovery of ANC ballot papers at a Pretoria home, calling the incident “highly irregular” and warning that misinformation is undermining confidence in electoral processes.
The Elections Management and Consulting Agency of Africa (EMCA) is an independent electoral management company established in 2011.
This comes after ballot papers allegedly linked to the ANC’s Greater Johannesburg regional conference were found at the private residence of Lulu White, a former director of EMCA, by police and party officials in Pretoria, sparking an investigation into possible voting irregularities at the December 2025 election that saw Loyiso Masuku narrowly defeat Mayor Dada Morero.
The company said that the police and ANC representatives entered the property without a valid search warrant or proper identification, and that the circumstances of the alleged discovery were highly irregular and inconsistent with EMCA’s strict ballot handling and chain-of-custody procedures.
In a statement released to the media, EMCA said all ballot papers had been properly secured and sealed in its custody, and it denied any knowledge of or involvement with the papers allegedly discovered outside official channels.
"EMCA emphasises that up until the day in question, all ballot papers remained in its custody sealed in transparent ballot boxes, secured with five (5) tamper-evident seals, and stored in a secure, locked location. Access to such materials has only been strictly limited to the designated presiding officer in accordance with established chain-of-custody protocols," EMCA said.
"The alleged discovery of ballot papers in a freshly looking black plastic bag, purportedly found in a private garden, is therefore highly irregular, deeply concerning, and wholly inconsistent with EMCA’s ballot handling procedures".
EMCA added that continued publication of inaccurate, speculative, and unverified claims misleads the public and undermines confidence in lawful electoral processes.
"The company categorically denies any involvement in, or knowledge of, any unlawful activity, including the tampering with or concealment of ballot material".
mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za
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