12 Million South Africans Cast Votes as IEC Urges Remaining Voters to Use Final Hours

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has urged eligible voters who have not yet cast their ballots to use the remaining hours of Wednesday’s local government elections, revealing that 12 million people had voted by 5pm.

With voting stations scheduled to close at 9pm, the commission said voting had progressed well across the country, despite a few isolated incidents.

The preliminary figures show that Gauteng recorded the highest number of voters, with three million people having cast their ballotsREAD MORE

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against campaigning inside voting stations during Wednesday’s local government elections, saying anyone who contravenes the law faces a fine or imprisonment of up to five years.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, 4 November, the commission clarified the legal restrictions governing political campaigning on Election Day, emphasising that voting stations must remain free from activities that could influence voters.

Voting stations opened at 7am andREAD MORE

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged registered voters to turn out in their numbers and participate in the 2026 Local Government Elections, saying citizens have a responsibility to determine the future of their municipalities and the country.

Ramaphosa and First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe cast their ballots at Hyde Park High School in Sandton on Wednesday, where the president arrived with his family.

It was the first time Ramaphosa voted at the Hyde Park voting station. He has traditionally cast hisREAD MORE

The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has announced an electoral cooperation agreement with the African Transformation Movement (ATM) in the City of Johannesburg, urging its supporters to vote for the ATM on the proportional representation (PR) ballot while retaining its own candidates on the ward ballot.

The decision comes after the UDM was unable to participate in the PR ballot in Johannesburg in the November 4 local government elections.

In a statement on Wednesday, UDM secretary-general Bulelani Bobotyane said the partyREAD MORE

Millions of South Africans are heading to voting stations on Wednesday as the country holds its 2026 Local Government Elections, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) urging eligible voters to turn out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right.

Voting officially opened at 7am, with long queues already forming at several voting stations across the country before the doors opened, signalling an early start to what is expected to be a closely watched electoral contest.

IEC chairpersonREAD MORE

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has urged students and young people across South Africa to turn out in numbers for Wednesday’s local government elections, warning that frustration and disappointment with political leadership should not discourage them from exercising their democratic right.

Manamela said the November 4 elections presented an important opportunity for young people to influence decisions that directly affect their daily lives, particularly in communities where they live, study and work.

For some students, Wednesday’s elections willREAD MORE

Water supply is gradually being restored to communities in Gauteng following the restoration of electricity at Rand Water’s Mapleton Pumping Station, but residents in parts of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and surrounding municipalities could continue experiencing dry taps and low water pressure as the system recovers.

Rand Water confirmed that pumping operations resumed at approximately 3.10pm on Tuesday after an electricity outage brought operations at the Mapleton station to a complete standstill the previous evening.

The outage occurred at 8.35pm on Monday,READ MORE

Police have warned that lawlessness and attempts to undermine the integrity of the electoral process will not be tolerated as security preparations intensify ahead of Wednesday’s 2026 Local Government Elections.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia issued the warning on Tuesday after visiting the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) National Operations Centre at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, as the two-day special voting process drew to a close.

Cachalia was accompanied by Deputy Police Minister Dr Polly Boshielo and Deputy Justice andREAD MORE

Concerns over the security of election materials have emerged during the second day of special voting ahead of Wednesday’s Local Government Elections, after two women, including a proportional representation (PR) candidate, were arrested in the Eastern Cape for allegedly impersonating Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officials and attempting to remove voting materials from a police station.

The women, aged 57 and 61, were arrested on Tuesday following an incident at Ngcobo Police Station, where they allegedly arrived early onREAD MORE

The City of Tshwane has made significant progress in rehabilitating the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works, but residents affected by the water contamination crisis will have to wait for laboratory tests and safety clearances before they can safely drink water from their taps.

Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya said on Tuesday that technical teams had repaired critical equipment, cleaned treatment infrastructure and progressively restored filtration and chlorination processes at the plant, which has been at the centre of a water contamination crisisREAD MORE