VOTERS' ROLL SURPASSES 29 MILLION FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL REGISTRATION DRIVE AHEAD OF 2026 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR
VOTERS' ROLL SURPASSES 29 MILLION FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL REGISTRATION DRIVE AHEAD OF 2026 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – Over 1.7 million citizens engaged with the Electoral Commission (IEC) during the final voter registration weekend on 1 and 2 August 2026. The milestone brings the total voters' roll to over 29 million registered citizens ahead of the upcoming Local Government Elections scheduled for 4 November 2026.
Of the 1.79 million total transactions, 291,806 (16%) represented first-time voter registrations, while over 1.5 million existing voters inspected and updated their registration details to ensure compliance with ward-based voting rules for local elections.
Provincial Breakdown and Registration Channels
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest overall registration activity, followed by Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.
Provincial Performance
KwaZulu-Natal: 427,592 total transactions (71,932 new registrations)
Gauteng: 314,856 total transactions (55,879 new registrations)
Eastern Cape: 313,797 total transactions (37,897 new registrations)
Limpopo: 209,516 total transactions
Western Cape: 134,291 total transactions
Mpumalanga: 133,378 total transactions
North West: 116,104 total transactions
Free State: 97,211 total transactions
Northern Cape: 47,306 total transactions
Registration Modalities
Voting Stations: Remained the primary channel, accounting for 1,555,318 in-person applications across 23,699 stations.
Online Voter Portal: Recorded 238,733 transactions, led by urban centers in Gauteng (86,492), KwaZulu-Natal (41,334), and the Western Cape (33,783).
Youth Engagement and Gender Dynamics
Youth Turnout: Youth aged 16 to 29 accounted for 485,757 (26%) of all transactions over the weekend. Crucially, 46% of all new registrations were completed by voters under 29 years of age.
Gender Balance: Female voters made up 56% (1,005,790) of total weekend activity, maintaining the historic trend of higher female representation on the national voters' roll. Exactly 50% of first-time registrations were female.
Launch of WhatsApp Registration Ahead of Proclamation Deadline
To maximize voter inclusion before the voters' roll officially closes upon election proclamation on Friday, 7 August 2026, the IEC has launched voter registration directly via WhatsApp (0600 088 000).
The messaging interface incorporates identity verification, OTP authentication, ID document uploads, and location verification to allow citizens to register or update details seamlessly from their smartphones.
Next Phase: Election Proclamation and Timetable
Following the announcement by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), official proclamation will take place on Friday, 7 August 2026.
The IEC will hold a media briefing on Proclamation Day to publish the formal Election Timetable, detailing candidate nomination deadlines, voters' roll certification dates, and logistical milestones leading up to Election Day on 4 November 2026.
Check Registration Status: SMS ID number to 32810
Contact Centre Support: Call 0800 11 8000
WhatsApp Support & Registration: Message 0600 088 000
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