THE Department of Foreign Affairs says some South African electoral staff are still stationed in East Timor, despite the escalating violence which has left hundreds dead. Departmental spokesman Dumisani Rasheleng said he’s unsure how many of the 11 South African staff members stationed there have remained. Several South Africans, including Constitutional Court judge Johan Kriegler were evacuated from the island in the wake of last week’s violence. The South Africans formed part of a United Nations observer group deployed to monitor East Timor’s referendum which came out overwhelmingly in favour of independence from Indonesia.