The Department of Home Affairs has warned South Africans against spreading what it describes as false information about a Constitutional Court judgment on the processing of asylum applications, amid growing anger over immigration and long queues at Home Affairs offices. The department said on Wednesday that it had identified what it believes is a coordinated disinformation campaign targeting Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber and other officials over the court’s 7 July 2026 judgment in the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town…

The Democratic Alliance has entered the legal battle over the African National Congress’s disputed candidate nominations, with the two parties, which are partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU), now on opposing sides of a court fight over who should be allowed to contest the 4 November local government elections. The DA has filed papers with the Electoral Court seeking leave to intervene in the ANC’s application to have candidates accepted after the deadline for the submission of candidate…

The African National Congress (ANC) has defended its handling of candidate nominations for the 4 November local government elections, saying it lodged 9 128 candidates but that 181 of its candidates were not recorded by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) as formally submitted before the deadline. ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula made the comments during a media briefing on Tuesday, as the party sought to set out its version of events after days of reports about problems with…

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has announced Nthabiseng Tshivhenga as its mayoral candidate for the City of Ekurhuleni ahead of the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections, positioning her to lead the party’s campaign in one of Gauteng’s key metropolitan municipalities. The announcement was made by the EFF Gauteng on Friday, a day before the country’s final voter registration weekend, during which the Electoral Commission (IEC) is expected to register eligible voters ahead of the municipal polls. IEC Chief Electoral…

South Africa’s seventh democratic Local Government Elections (LGE) will be held on 4 November 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed on Thursday during the extended President’s Coordinating Council meeting at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni. Ramaphosa said the election date aligns with the constitutional requirement that local polls be held within 90 days of the expiry of municipal council terms, which end on 2 November 2026. He noted that he traditionally prefers mid-week voting, leading to the selection of a…

A civil society organisation has welcomed renewed efforts by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to increase voter participation ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections, while announcing its own intervention aimed at strengthening accountability at municipal level. Civic Root Advocacy issued a statement on Tuesday praising the IEC’s latest outreach strategies, unveiled during a logo reveal event held in Midrand. The organisation described the Commission’s plans, including a forthcoming television series on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and a…

South Africans are being urged to begin preparing for the 2026 local government elections, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) announcing that a nationwide voter registration weekend will take place on 20 and 21 June. The commission said the registration weekend is intended to maximise opportunities for eligible voters to register closer to where they live and to broaden participation in the upcoming municipal elections. Preparations for the elections are already underway, with several key administrative milestones either…

The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will conduct a voter registration weekend in Gauteng and the Western Cape on Saturday, 22 November and Sunday, 23 November 2025, ahead of municipal by-elections scheduled for 03 February 2026. Voting stations in both provinces will operate from 08h00 to 17h00 to allow eligible voters to register and for current voters to check or update their information. The Electoral Commission said the registration process is open to all South Africans who are…

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says it has made major progress in preparing for the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE), with key milestones achieved in voter registration, political party compliance, and consultation on possible electronic voting. In a media briefing on Tuesday, the Commission said more than 305 000 new voters registered between January and September 2025, while just over 60 000 updated their registration details. The IEC noted that September saw the highest number of new registrations,…

The African National Congress (ANC) has secured definitive victories in recent by-elections, reinforcing its appeal among voters and marking a moment of renewal for the party. Official confirmation from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) adds credibility and transparency to the outcomes, highlighting the ANC’s ongoing grassroots strength. Earlier this year, the ANC held onto key wards in two by-elections: Ward 4 in the Emalahleni sub-region (Chris Hani Region, Eastern Cape) and Ward 34 in the Fetakgomo Tubatse sub-region (Sekhukhune Region,…