IEC Countdown Begins: Official Election Timetable Published as Registration Closes

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BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR

IEC Countdown Begins: Official Election Timetable Published as Registration Closes

​By : KasiBCAfrica News

7 August 2026

KASIBCAUDIO

​SOUTH AFRICA — The stage is officially set for South Africa’s upcoming local democracy showcase. Following the proclamation of the election date by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr. Velenkosini Hlabisa, the Electoral Commission (IEC) has published the official Election Timetable, kicking off an intensive 89-day operational rollout leading to Election Day on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.  

​The proclamation provides legal certainty and operational clarity for political parties, independent candidates, and voters across the country.  

​“The Election Timetable serves as the lodestar for the electoral programme, guiding every milestone from candidate nominations to the declaration of results in accordance with the Constitution.” — Electoral Commission Statement

  

​Final Hours to Register: Voters’ Roll Closes at Midnight

​The most critical consequence of the election date proclamation is the immediate deadline for voter registration. The national voters’ roll closes at midnight tonight (7 August 2026). After this cutoff, no new registrations or address updates will be accepted for the 2026 Local Government Elections.  

​Eligible citizens are urged to make use of digital channels before midnight:  

​Online Portal: Data-free registration via registertovote.elections.org.za  

​WhatsApp Channel: Message "Hi" to 0600 88 0000  

​SMS Status Check: Text ID number to 32810  

​Digital uptake has surged in recent days. The IEC reported over 2 million voter interactions during this registration cycle, with more than 210,000 recorded in the final stretch alone. 

Gauteng led provincial interactions with 55,313 transactions, followed by KwaZulu-Natal (36,996) and the Western Cape (28,736). 

The newly launched WhatsApp channel also garnered over 14,000 registrations within days of its launch.  

​Key Election Timetable Milestones

​All activities outlined in the election timetable carry a strict 17:00 cut-off time on their respective dates:  

Date	Milestone / Statutory Activity
7 August 2026	Candidate Nominations Open & Voters’ Roll Closes (Midnight)
11 August 2026	Provisional Voters’ Roll published for public inspection
14 August 2026	Publication of Voting Stations list (including 32 mobile routes)
18 August 2026	Inspection period for Provisional Voters’ Roll closes
26 August 2026	Chief Electoral Officer certifies the Final Voters' Roll
28 August 2026	Candidate Nominations Close (Strictly at 17:00)
16 September 2026	Final list of approved candidates published
21 September 2026	Special Vote Applications Open
12 October 2026	Special Vote Applications Close
2–3 November 2026	Special Voting Days (Home visits and early station votes)
4 November 2026	ELECTION DAY

Candidate Nominations & Contest Deposit Breakdown

​Political parties and prospective independent candidates have 21 calendar days to submit their documentation and candidate lists, either via the Online Candidate Nomination System (OCNS) or by manual delivery to local IEC municipal offices.

​Political contestation is set to be fiercely competitive. The party register currently stands at 674 registered political parties (330 national, 32 provincial, 257 district, and 55 metro-level).

​To confirm serious intent, contestants must pay monetary deposits, which are refundable if they secure at least one PR seat or 10% of valid votes in a ward election:

• ​Metropolitan Municipalities: R4,700.00 (Covers all PR & Ward candidates of a party)

• ​Local Councils: R2,800.00

• ​District Councils: R1,800.00

• ​Independent Ward Candidates: R1,800.00

• ​Full National Contest (All Municipalities): R693,600.00

​High Court Ruling: Kopanong Boundaries Preserved

​The IEC also clarified a crucial late legal development in the Free State Province. On 6 August 2026, the High Court in Bloemfontein stayed a decision by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) that sought to split the Kopanong Local Municipality into two entities.

​As a result of the court order, Kopanong will remain a single municipality with 9 Wards for the 2026 elections, retaining its 2021 boundaries until at least the 2031 election cycle.

​Voting Local: Strict Ward Registration Rules

​Unlike national and provincial elections, local government elections strictly enforce voting district rules. Voters must vote at the specific voting station where they are registered within their ordinary ward of residence. There is no provision to cast a ballot at a station outside your registered district.

​For media inquiries or voter assistance, contact the IEC helpline at 0800 11 8000 or visit www.elections.org.za.  

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 MEC Lebogang Maile Condemns Violent Attacks on Gauteng Schools Following Alexandra and Waverley Incidents

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BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR

MEC Lebogang Maile Condemns Violent Attacks on Gauteng Schools Following Alexandra and Waverley Incidents

KASIBCAUDIO

​Byline: Education & Crime Desk

Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng

​Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, has issued a sharp condemnation following two violent criminal incidents at public schools in Johannesburg, calling them a direct attack on learners' constitutional right to basic education.

​The incidents—occurring at Iphutheng Primary School in Alexandra and Waverley Girls’ High School—left multiple learners traumatized and one hospitalized, prompting the deployment of emergency psychosocial support teams.

​Armed Robbery and Hijacking Cause Panic

​The first attack occurred on school grounds at Iphutheng Primary School in Alexandra, where armed suspects entered the premises during a robbery. Suspects fired several warning shots, causing panic among educators and young learners who fled for safety.

​One learner was subsequently transported to the hospital; the department noted that the precise circumstances surrounding the hospitalization remain under investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

​In a separate incident on the same day, an armed hijacking unfolded directly outside the gates of Waverley Girls’ High School. Suspects fired shots into the air before fleeing.

​Reports indicate that several learners were caught outside the school gates as the incident occurred. The Department of Education confirmed it is engaging school management to verify the facts and ensure all standard emergency safety protocols were observed.

​"Schools are sacred spaces dedicated to teaching and learning and must never become theatres of violence, fear or intimidation. Criminals who threaten the safety of our children, educators and school communities have no place in our society and must face the full might of the law," said MEC Maile.

​Emergency Intervention and Psychological Support

​Following the incidents, MEC Maile directed departmental officials, district offices, and law enforcement to coordinate closely to minimize disruption to the academic calendar.

​The department dispatched specialized psychosocial support personnel and trauma counselors to both schools to assist affected learners, staff, and educators.

​Call for Community Partnership

​Highlighting the province's ongoing safety interventions—which target gangsterism, dangerous weapons, and substance abuse around schools—MEC Maile emphasized that law enforcement alone cannot secure school perimeters without active public participation.

​Invoking the province's "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child" campaign, Maile appealed to parents, Community Policing Forums (CPFs), Gauteng Traffic Wardens, and local neighborhood watches to assist SAPS by reporting intelligence on local gangs and criminal activity surrounding school grounds.

​Police investigations into both incidents remain ongoing.

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Madlanga Commission Calls for Action Against Top Cop Shadrack Sibiya and Three Others

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BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR

Madlanga Commission Calls for Action Against Top Cop Shadrack Sibiya and Three Others

KASIBCAUDIO

​Byline: Political & Legal Desk

Location: Pretoria, South Africa

​President Cyril Ramaphosa has formally noted the recommendations and referrals contained in the Second Interim Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, widely known as the Madlanga Commission.

​The report, submitted to the President on 29 May 2026 following an initial interim report in December 2025, recommends disciplinary action and immediate criminal investigations into high-profile individuals within the security apparatus.

​Key Targets of Recommended Investigation

​On the basis of evidence heard since early 2026, the Commission recommended the institution of disciplinary proceedings and immediate criminal conduct investigations—with potential prosecution if sufficient evidence exists—against four individuals:

• ​Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, suspended SAPS Deputy National Commissioner

• ​Witness G

• ​Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, suspended SAPS member

• ​Mr. Brown Mogotsi, North West businessman and alleged political fixer

​Furthermore, the Commission recommended that the Office of the Inspector General for Intelligence, or another authorized body, conduct an immediate probe into an alleged "off-the-books" Crime Intelligence operation involving Mogotsi and Witness G.

​Confirmation of Earlier SAPS Findings

​The latest report explicitly revisited preliminary findings regarding the South African Police Service (SAPS) made in the First Interim Report. After hearing directly from implicated parties during hearings early this year, the Commission confirmed its previous recommendations, with only one exception.

​The inquiry was initially established following explosive allegations made on 6 July 2025 by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi regarding political interference and corruption in police operations.

​Urgent Legal Mandates and Task Team Referrals

​The referrals were made pursuant to Clauses 10.4 and 12 of the Commission's Terms of Reference, granting it authority to refer matters directly for urgent criminal investigation, prosecution decisions, or specialized inquiries.

​The Presidency confirmed that these new referrals will be handled by the SAPS special investigations task team, which was previously established after the first report to fast-track investigations into individuals identified by the inquiry.

​The Commission is set to deliver its final comprehensive report on 16 November 2026.

​Shadrack Sibiya's testimony at the Madlanga Commission

​This video offers essential background context by featuring live testimony from Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya as he responded to allegations before the Madlanga Commission.

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Section 89 Committee Appoints Adv Thandazani Madonsela SC as Evidence Leader Following EFF Nomination

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BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR

Section 89 Committee Appoints Adv Thandazani Madonsela SC as Evidence Leader Following EFF Nomination

KASIBCAUDIO

​Byline: Political Desk

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

​Parliament’s Section 89 Impeachment Committee has resolved to recommend the appointment of Advocate Thandazani Madonsela SC as its Evidence Leader, marking a key milestone in the unprecedented impeachment inquiry into a sitting South African President.

​Advocate Madonsela's selection followed a nomination put forward by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Treasurer General and committee member, Hon. Omphile Maotwe.

​Madonsela secured the position after gaining support across a coalition of opposition parties, defeating the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) preferred candidate, Advocate Kate Hofmeyr SC, by nine votes to seven.

​Voting Breakdown in Committee

​The nomination secured nine votes from across the opposition benches:

• ​uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party: 3 votes

• ​Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF): 1 vote

• ​African Transformation Movement (ATM): 1 vote

• ​Build One South Africa (BOSA): 1 vote

• ​African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP): 1 vote

• ​United Africans Transformation (UAT): 1 vote

​Advocate Hofmeyr received seven votes, supported by the Democratic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus, and ActionSA. The African National Congress (ANC) abstained with its nine committee seats.

​EFF Welcomes Resolution

​In an official statement released on Wednesday, the EFF welcomed the committee's decision, expressing full confidence in Madonsela’s legal acumen and independence.

​"The EFF has every confidence that Advocate Madonsela will execute his responsibilities with professionalism, precision, and independence, without fear, favour, or prejudice," the party stated.

​The party underscored the historic nature of the proceedings, noting that the Section 89 Committee is conducting the first impeachment inquiry against a sitting President in South Africa's post-apartheid history—a process expected to establish significant constitutional precedents for parliamentary oversight.

​Legal Credentials

​Advocate Madonsela brings over three decades of legal practice to the role. Having initially practiced as an attorney, he joined the KwaZulu-Natal Bar in 2001 and was conferred Senior Counsel (SC) status in 2015.

​His career includes appearances as lead counsel before both the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court. He has also held prominent leadership positions in the legal sector, including serving as Chairperson of the Society of Advocates of KwaZulu-Natal and Chairperson of Advocates for Transformation.

​The committee's recommendation will now be submitted to Parliament's administration to finalize the formal procurement and appointment process.  

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 OPEN LETTER SUMMARY: RONALD LAMOLA RESPONDS TO DR. NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA OVER ALLEGED RECORDING

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BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR

OPEN LETTER SUMMARY: RONALD LAMOLA RESPONDS TO DR. NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA OVER ALLEGED RECORDING

KASIBCAUDIO

​PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – ANC NEC member and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has written an open letter to former Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, demanding a public retraction and apology over comments made during a podcast interview with Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

​The letter addresses remarks associating Lamola with alleged vote-buying audio recordings linked to the ANC’s 54th National Elective Conference held in Nasrec in 2017.

​Key Highlights of the Open Letter

• ​Categorical Denial: Lamola unequivocally rejects any involvement in vote-buying activities, whether via voice notes, phone calls, or other media, during the 2017 conference or at any other point in his political career.
• ​Voice Verification: He states that his voice and speech patterns are widely recognizable across the organization and that any objective review of the referenced recording confirms it is not his voice.
• ​Call for Retraction & Apology: Lamola requests a public retraction and formal apology, citing the need to uphold organizational discipline, dignity, and comradely respect.
• ​Internal Resolution First: While noting that he reserves the right to seek legal remedies, Lamola emphasizes a preference for using internal ANC dispute mechanisms and political engagement before taking legal action against an esteemed struggle veteran.

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