South Africa's IEC opens candidate nominations as voters roll closes

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa has opened candidate nominations for the 2026 local government elections and announced that the voters' roll will close at midnight on Friday. IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya urged all eligible South Africans to register or update their details before the deadline, noting that no further changes will be accepted after the roll closes.

The election timetable, published in the Government Gazette, sets out key dates: the provisional voters' roll will be available for public inspection from 11 August to 18 August, with objections considered before the final roll is certified on 26 August. Candidate nominations must be submitted by 5 pm on 28 August, either through the Online Candidate Nomination System or at IEC offices. The timetable also outlines subsequent milestones, including the publication of voting station addresses on 14 August and the release of the final candidate list on 16 September.