The Electoral Commission (IEC) recorded more than 290,000 first-time voter registrations during its second and final registration weekend. More than 1.7-million people visited voting stations across the country during the two-day campaign.

The turnout increased South Africa’s voters’ roll to more than 29-million registered voters. The two registration weekends, held in June and on Saturday (1/8) and Sunday (2/8), added more than 750,000 new voters to the national roll.

Young people showed strong participation, with almost 486,000 registration transactions recorded among citizens aged 16 to 29. Nearly half of all first-time registrations came from voters younger than 29, according to the commission’s figures.

Eligible citizens who missed the final registration weekend can still register online or through the IEC’s newly launched WhatsApp service. The voters’ roll closes when the local government elections are proclaimed on Friday (7/8).

The WhatsApp service allows voters to register or update their details through a platform used daily by millions of South Africans. It uses one-time password authentication, identity document uploads, and address verification to protect the voters’ roll, IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo said.

Most voters still prefer registering in person at voting stations, despite growing use of online registration channels. The IEC introduced the WhatsApp option to improve convenience and expand access before the registration period formally closes.

The 2026 local government elections are scheduled for Wednesday, 4 November. The formal election timetable is expected to be announced after cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Velenkosini Hlabisa proclaims and gazettes the election date on Friday.

The proclamation will close the voters’ roll for the elections. The Constitution and Municipal Structures Act require local government elections to take place within 90 days after the end of a municipality’s five-year term.

Hlabisa urged all eligible South Africans who have not registered, or who need to update their details, to do so before Friday. Voters can continue using the IEC’s online registration portal or WhatsApp service until the proclamation.

More than 291,000 people registered for the first time during the final weekend, while more than 1.5-million voters updated or confirmed their information. The commission will now shift its focus to preparations for voting day.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame dg

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