By Johnathan Paoli
An estimated 12 million South Africans had cast their ballots in the 2026 Local Government Elections by 5pm on Wednesday, representing approximately 41.1% of the country’s 29.2 million registered voters.
Speaking during an evening media briefing, Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said voting had progressed well across the country, despite isolated incidents.
He urged those who had not yet voted to make their way to their registered voting stations before the 9pm closing time.
“The Commission is pleased with encouraging turnout at many of our voting stations across the country, yet we still need that residual voting block that has not made its way to the stations to do so before nine,” Mamabolo said.
He reassured voters that anyone who arrived at a voting station before 9pm would be allowed to cast their ballot, even if the process continued beyond the official closing time.
“This means every voter who is in the queue by the time of closing will not be turned away. We nonetheless encourage voters not to leave it until the last minute, but to use the remaining time to visit voting stations,” he said.
Videographer: Kgalalelo Setlhare/Inside Politics
The preliminary provincial breakdown showed Gauteng leading with three million voters, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 2.5 million, the Western Cape with 1.5 million and the Eastern Cape with 1.4 million.
Limpopo recorded 1.1 million voters, followed by Mpumalanga with 854,901, North West with 702,133, the Free State with 588,237 and the Northern Cape with 299,381.
The preliminary turnout of 41.1% comes against a backdrop of declining participation in previous local government elections.
The 2021 municipal elections recorded a turnout of approximately 45.79%, down from 57.94% in 2016 and 57.6% in 2011.
Turnout had already fallen below 50% in 2006, when 48.4% of registered voters participated, compared with 47.33% in the inaugural local government elections in 2000.
The 2026 elections have 29.2 million registered voters, compared with approximately 26.2 million in 2021. A total of 136,790 candidates are contesting 10,526 council seats.
Meanwhile, 1,425,942 voters participated in special voting on November 2 and 3.
The IEC was asked during the briefing whether the preliminary figure of 12 million included special votes, but did not clarify the matter.
Mamabolo said the Commission had made arrangements for generators and alternative lighting at voting stations affected by electricity outages to prevent disruptions to the counting process.
He said counting would begin immediately after voting stations closed, with party agents and accredited observers present.
Ballots would be sorted according to electoral contest and counted before being reconciled against the number of ballot papers received, issued, unused and spoiled at each voting station.
Results slips would then be signed by presiding officers, countersigned by party agents and displayed at the voting stations.
The IEC said the final results and allocation of municipal council seats would be announced within the prescribed seven-day period, although it intended to declare the outcome by the weekend.
Mamabolo thanked voters and election officials for their participation and work, while reiterating the Commission’s appeal to those who had not yet voted.
“There is still time to get up, to show up, and to vote,” he said.
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