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South Africans are turning out in their numbers across the country as the Electoral Commission’s (IEC) voter registration weekend for the 2026 Local Government Elections gets under way.

At a media briefing on Saturday, the commission’s Masego Sheburi revealed that some 330 000 voter registration applications were processed by noon.

He noted that nearly all voting stations were open and operating smoothly by 8am with those not opening on time “due to community protests”.

“The voter registration weekend…has started off on an overwhelmingly positive note in 23 706 voting stations.

“Just over 300 000 transactions were processed on the VMD [voter management device] at voting stations, while 30 000 were applications on the online platform. Predictably, provinces with population densities account for the majority of the transactions with KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape recording the highest applications.  

“Early indications point to young persons as the majority of applicants,” Sheburi said.

Furthermore, the commission’s contact centre has facilitated and assisted some “640 voters through direct queries, alongside 221 interactions via social media platforms”.

“The commission expresses its appreciation to the many South Africans who have participated in the registration process since this morning. The turnout recorded thus far reflects an encouraging commitment to democratic participation,” he said.

Documentation needed

Voter registration stations will remain open until 5pm on Saturday and Sunday and eligible citizens are reminded to register in the district where they reside.

Once registered, you will only be able to vote at that station.

“Voters are reminded that a valid South African identity document [liked] a green barcoded identity book, smart ID card, or valid temporary identity certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs, is required to complete their registration or update their details.

“The Department of Home Affairs remains open to facilitate access to the documentation required for voter registration.

“Although proof of address is not required for registration, providing an address or a description of a place of ordinary residence remains important to enable the chief electoral officer to allocate voters to the correct segment of the voters’ roll,” Sheburi explained.

Eligible citizens may also register online at registertovote.elections.org.za.

Voters can also verify registration details on the IEC app, by contacting the Commission’s contact centre on 0800 11 8000 or by sending their identity number via SMS to 32810.

“The online registration portal will remain open until midnight on the day the election is officially proclaimed by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, after which voter registration and updates to registration details will close. 

“The commission also extends its gratitude to political parties, community leaders, civil society organisations, traditional leaders, security agencies and all stakeholders for supporting the registration process,” Sheburi added.

The 2026 Local Government Elections will be held on 4 November 2026. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Thousands of South Africans are expected to head to voting stations across the country from 8am today as the Electoral Commission (IEC) launches its nationwide voter registration weekend, with young people firmly in its sights.

More than 23 700 registration stations were expected to open their doors across South Africa, giving eligible citizens an opportunity to register to vote, verify their details or update their addresses ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

The Commission has used Youth Month to intensify its appeal to first-time voters, particularly those aged between 18 and 19, among whom registration levels remain low.

According to the IEC, more than 70% of South Africans in this age group are still not registered to vote.

The registration weekend comes at a crucial time for young people who will be voting in municipal elections that directly affect issues such as local infrastructure, public transport, housing, waste collection, recreation facilities and employment opportunities.

IEC officials said the Local Government Elections differ from national elections because voters must cast their ballots in the voting district where they are registered. For that reason, updating address details is as important as registering for the first time.

The Commission said it was fully prepared for the weekend, having deployed over 48 000 trained registration officials and more than 39 000 voter management devices to support the process.

The current voters’ roll contains approximately 28 million registered voters, but the IEC hopes this weekend will bring thousands more young South Africans into the democratic process.

Across campuses and communities, the Commission has been running extensive voter education campaigns aimed at encouraging youth participation. Through outreach programmes at tertiary institutions, more than 158 000 students have already been added to the voters’ roll this year.

Registration stations will remain open until 5pm today and tomorrow.

Citizens wishing to register must bring a South African identity document, Smart ID card, green barcoded ID book or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate. Proof of address is not required, although voters must provide details of their place of residence.

The Department of Home Affairs is also operating during the registration weekend to assist citizens requiring identity documents.

With the slogan “Get Up. Show Up. Vote.”, the IEC says this weekend is about ensuring every eligible South African has the opportunity to participate in shaping the future of their community.

For many young people, today could be the first step in a lifelong journey of democratic participation. – SAnews.gov.za

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With the deadline drawing near, National Treasury and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) have reminded the public to submit written comments on the 2026 draft Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill (2026 draft Rates Bill).

Among other things, the draft Rates Bill outlines adjustments to various tax thresholds, exemptions and limits, as well as changes to excise duties on alcoholic beverages and tobacco-related products.

The 2026 draft Rates Bill, which contains the proposed tax amendments, is available on the National Treasury and SARS websites.

Written comments can be sent to National Treasury’s tax policy depository at AnnexCProposals@zatreasury.onmicrosoft.com and to SARS at 2026LegislationComments@sars.gov.za by close of business on 26 June 2026. –SAnews.gov.za

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The Electoral Commission (IEC) in KwaZulu-Natal says it is fully prepared for the voter registration weekend scheduled for 20 and 21 June 2026, a key milestone in preparations for this year’s Local Government Elections (LGE2026).

Addressing the media at the commission’s provincial offices in Westville, Durban, on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Electoral Officer Ntombifuthi Masinga said extensive preparations had been completed to ensure a smooth registration process across the province’s 5 021 voting districts.

The registration weekend follows a ward boundary re-determination process undertaken by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB), which resulted in the number of wards in KwaZulu-Natal increasing from 901 during the 2021 Local Government Elections to 921 for the 2026 polls.

Masinga said the increase was necessitated by legislative requirement for the number of registered voters to not exceed the permissible norm for each municipality across in the province.

“During this process, a number of voters were reassigned to different wards and voting districts,” Masinga said.
To ensure affected voters are correctly registered and informed of the changes, the Electoral Commission conducted a targeted communication and registration campaign between 22 and 24 May.

The campaign reached 1 188 affected voting districts across the province and yielded the highest results nationally.

“During this process, the province recorded the highest yield of all provinces, adding 15 689 new voters and updating registration details of 93 224 voters on the KZN segment of the voters’ roll,” Masinga said.
She encouraged voters who may not have been reached during the campaign to verify and update their addresses on the voters’ roll, to ensure they are placed on the correct segment of the voters’ roll.

Affected voters can update their addresses through the commission’s online voter registration portal registertovote.elections.org.za, or by visiting their nearest voting station during the registration weekend.
“This initiative reinforces the Commission’s commitment to an accurate voters’ roll and ensuring all eligible citizens can vote in their correct wards,” Masinga said.

The alignment of voting districts (VDs) to the newly demarcated ward boundaries has also increased the number of voting districts in the province from 4 974 used during the 2024 National and Provincial Elections to 5 021 for LGE2026.

KwaZulu-Natal now accounts for 21% of South Africa’s 23 706 voting districts, the highest share of any province.

Over five million voters registered
According to the latest registration figures, KwaZulu-Natal has 5 764 286 registered voters, representing 20.5% of the more than 28 million voters registered on the national common voters’ roll.

While voter registration levels remain strong, the commission has expressed concern about the participation of younger voters.

Of the 28 million registered voters nationally, approximately 4.5 million are aged between 18 and 29 years. However, the proportion of first-time voters within this age group remains lower than desired.
Masinga said the commission continues to work with a range of stakeholders to encourage and mobilise eligible young people to register and participate in the democratic process.

Women continue to make up the majority of registered voters in the province. According to the commission, female voters account for 3 256 368 of the registered electorate in KwaZulu-Natal, representing 56% of all registered voters.

10 000 registration officials recruited
To support the registration weekend, the Electoral Commission has recruited and trained 10 042 registration officials who will be deployed at voting stations throughout the province.

Masinga said transparency and electoral integrity remained central to the recruitment process.

“In the interest of transparency and electoral integrity, the names of Presiding Officers were shared with political parties, affording them an opportunity to raise objections where there may be concerns regarding the impartiality or suitability of any of these officials,” she said.

The commission has also secured all 5 021 voting stations that will be operational during the registration weekend.
Working closely with government departments and state entities, the IEC has ensured that voting stations will be accessible and equipped with the basic amenities required for efficient operations.

Security arrangements have also been put in place, with the province working closely with security establishments to ensure the registration weekend is held in a secure and conducive environment.
“We are confident that all voting stations will operate efficiently and effectively throughout the registration period,” Masinga said.

The distribution of registration materials, including Voter Management Devices (VMDs), stationery packs, directional signage and document storage boxes, has also been completed in all 44 municipalities.

A total of 7 908 VMDs will be available for use across the province’s 5 021 voting districts, with additional devices allocated to high-volume voting districts to minimise waiting times and improve service delivery.
Masinga said the devices had undergone maintenance and testing to ensure operational readiness.

The VMDs enable real-time citizenship verification, accurate capture of voter information and direct integration with the voters’ roll. In areas where network connectivity is unavailable, data will be stored on the devices and uploaded once connectivity is restored.

All voting stations will be open from 08:00 to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday to allow eligible citizens to register, re-register or update their registration details. – SAnews.gov.za

 

 

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