Two South African nationals face charges in the United States for alleged illegal voting during the November 2024 federal elections. Hanlie Venter, 67, was charged in Missouri for unlawfully voting after registering in September 2024, while Hester Sophia Weihmann, 69, was indicted in Minnesota for voting illegally and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on November 5, 2024.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, Venter, who moved to the U.S. in 2020 and obtained lawful permanent residency in 2021, allegedly cast her vote at a polling place in McDonald County, Missouri. In Minnesota, a federal grand jury indicted Weihmann on charges including making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
These cases are part of a larger wave of election-related enforcement actions across the U.S. In a Justice Department announcement on November 2, 2026, authorities revealed charges against 63 individuals nationwide, including four noncitizens alleged to have committed voting offenses.
“The charge contained in the criminal complaint is simply an accusation and not evidence of guilt,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Missouri. The Department of Justice reiterated, “All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
There is no indication that the cases involving Venter and Weihmann are unique beyond their inclusion in the broader DOJ enforcement effort targeting election-related crimes. Both defendants deny involvement, and the investigations are ongoing.
South African authorities have not commented on the charges against their nationals, who remain presumed innocent. The cases highlight the complexity of voter eligibility rules in the U.S., particularly concerning lawful permanent residents and foreign nationals.
The next development will likely be court proceedings where the two will respond to the charges. Cape Flats News will continue to monitor updates from the U.S. federal courts and the Justice Department.