SOUTH AFRICA — President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced Wednesday, 04 November 2026, as the date for South Africa’s next local government elections, ending months of speculation about when voters will return to the polls.
“I therefore determine that the next local Government Elections will be held on a Wednesday, on a date I now determine as the 4th of November 2026,” the President said.
Ramaphosa made the announcement on Thursday, 30 April 2026, during the Extended Presidential Coordinating Council (PCC) meeting at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni.
However, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo cautioned that the President’s announcement is not the final legal step.
“In terms of the law, the official proclamation will be made by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, at which point the voters’ roll will be closed,” Mamabolo said.
The last municipal elections were held on 01 November 2021. Ramaphosa said the November date completes a full five-year term.
“This is in line with our constitutional construct to keep to those timelines that are clearly set out in our Constitution,” he said.
He added that the announcement provides clarity for all stakeholders.
“The race has started, and people will do the best they can.”
Mamabolo urged eligible South Africans to act.
“We encourage all eligible South Africans who are not yet registered, or who have changed their place of residence, to ensure that they are registered in the voting district where they ordinarily reside, as voters may only vote at the voting station where they are registered.”
Prospective voters can register online via the Electoral Commission website on a desktop computer or mobile phone to update their details.
Alternatively, citizens may register during the national voter registration weekend on 20 and 21 June 2026 at the voting stations where they intend to vote on election day.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said the announcement must be followed by urgent action on voter education and municipal accountability.
“We welcome the certainty of an election date, but dates alone don’t fix broken municipalities,” said Executive Director Neeshan Balton.
“The IEC and government must now run an aggressive registration and education campaign, especially for young and first-time voters. We also need commitments from all parties that candidates will be ethical, qualified, and rooted in communities – not deployed for patronage.”
Balton said local government is where citizens experience the state.
“If we don’t get these elections right, service delivery protests will only get worse.”
In Belfast, eMalahleni, 34-year-old shop assistant Thandi Mokoena said she hopes the election will bring change.
“I just want clean water every day and a working clinic. I’ve been voting since 2016 and nothing changes in our ward. But I will register again in June. Maybe this time it will be different,” Mokoena said.
