KZN leads voter registrations as IEC reports smooth start
He noted that nearly all voting stations were operational by 8 am, with only a small number affected by community protests.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of voter registration applications in the country on Saturday as South Africans turned out in large numbers for the Electoral Commission’s (IEC) voter registration weekend ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
Addressing a media briefing, IEC deputy chief electoral officer Masego Sheburi said about 330,000 voter registration applications had been processed by noon.
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He said the registration weekend had started smoothly across most of the country’s voting stations.
“The voter registration weekend…has started on an overwhelmingly positive note in 23 706 voting stations,” Sheburi said.
“Just over 300 000 transactions were processed on the VMD [voter management device] at voting stations, while 30 000 were applications on the online platform.”
Predictably, provinces with population densities account for the majority of the transactions, with KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape recording the highest applications.
“Early indications point to young persons as the majority of applicants,” said Sheburi.
He noted that nearly all voting stations were operational by 8 am, with only a small number affected by community protests.
The IEC’s contact centre also assisted hundreds of voters during the first few hours of registration.
According to Sheburi, the contact centre handled about 640 direct voter queries, while a further 221 interactions were recorded through social media platforms.
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“The commission expresses its appreciation to the many South Africans who have participated in the registration process since this morning. The turnout recorded thus far reflects an encouraging commitment to democratic participation,” he said.
Registration stations will remain open until 5 pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
Eligible citizens are encouraged to register in the voting district where they reside, as they will only be able to vote at the station where they are registered.
Sheburi said voters must present a valid South African identity document, including a green barcoded ID book, smart ID card or temporary identity certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs.
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“The Department of Home Affairs remains open to facilitate access to the documentation required for voter registration.”
“Although proof of address is not required for registration, providing an address or a description of a place of ordinary residence remains important to enable the chief electoral officer to allocate voters to the correct segment of the voters’ roll,” he explained.
Citizens can also register online through the IEC’s voter registration portal and verify their registration details using the IEC app, by calling 0800 11 8000 or by sending their ID number via SMS to 32810.
The online registration portal will remain available until midnight on the day the election is officially proclaimed by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
South Africans will head to the polls for the Local Government Elections on November 4.
