South Africa records 1.7 million voter registrations in final weekend before November elections

The Electoral Commission of South Africa reported that 1.7 million interactions occurred during the final voter‑registration weekend on 1–2 August 2026. Of these, 291,806 were new registrations and 1,502,245 existing voters updated their details, bringing the national voters’ roll above 29 million.

KwaZulu‑Natal led in total transactions (427,592), followed by Gauteng (314,856) and the Eastern Cape (313,797). Online registrations were highest in Gauteng (86,492), KwaZulu‑Natal (41,334) and the Western Cape (33,783). Young people aged 16‑29 accounted for 26 % of all transactions, and women comprised 56 % of the activity.

Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa announced that the deadline for completing registration or updates is midnight on 7 August 2026, after which the voters’ roll will be gazetted for the municipal elections scheduled for 4 November 2026. The IEC has introduced a WhatsApp registration channel (send “Hi” to 0600 88 0000) alongside the existing online portal. South Africans living abroad cannot vote in these local elections, as physical residency in a ward is required.