South Africa's election authority confirmed preparations for local government voting scheduled between March and June 2026, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Shiburi announced on Tuesday. The commission reported that 27.6 million people appear on the voter registry, with women representing 55 percent of those enrolled. Officials have set aside 2.1 billion rand to administer the municipal contests, which will feature 508 political organizations competing for ward seats.
Registration numbers climbed by more than 305,000 from January through September 2025, with September recording the highest monthly total of 71,324 new voters. Despite this growth, approximately 15 million eligible citizens remain unregistered. Shiburi emphasized that voters should register at their current addresses to participate in ward-level decisions. The commission achieved 92 percent of its performance goals in the 2024-25 fiscal year and maintained its clean audit record for five consecutive years.
The authority completed public consultations on electronic voting systems at the end of September but confirmed that no digital balloting will occur in 2026. Party funding compliance reached 90 percent among parliamentary parties, while smaller organizations showed lower rates.
Registration numbers climbed by more than 305,000 from January through September 2025, with September recording the highest monthly total of 71,324 new voters. Despite this growth, approximately 15 million eligible citizens remain unregistered. Shiburi emphasized that voters should register at their current addresses to participate in ward-level decisions. The commission achieved 92 percent of its performance goals in the 2024-25 fiscal year and maintained its clean audit record for five consecutive years.
The authority completed public consultations on electronic voting systems at the end of September but confirmed that no digital balloting will occur in 2026. Party funding compliance reached 90 percent among parliamentary parties, while smaller organizations showed lower rates.
