South Africa is already gearing up for the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE), with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) kicking off consultations with the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
The goal is to ensure the electoral process runs smoothly and on schedule.
At a media briefing in Centurion, Pretoria, IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo reminded the public that municipal councils serve five-year terms.
“Elections must be held no later than 90 days after a council’s term ends,” he explained.
The current councils, elected on 1 November 2021, will conclude their term on 2 November 2026, meaning elections must take place between that date and the end of January 2027.
Mamabolo noted that the Minister holds the authority to set the official election date, but this is done after consultation with the Commission.
“These consultations have begun, but no final decision has been made yet,” he added.
The Role of Municipal Boundaries
The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) plays a key role in defining the country’s political landscape through the determination of municipal and ward boundaries.
Municipal wards are the electoral divisions in which individual councillors are elected using a first-past-the-post system.
Mamabolo said the MDB is nearing completion of ward delimitation and plans to hand over final ward boundaries to the Commission by the end of October 2025.
“There will be a small number of municipalities — 18 in total — whose boundaries will be handed over later due to pending reviews of external municipal borders,” he explained.
The IEC will then analyze its network of voting districts to ensure they align perfectly with the final ward boundaries, paving the way for voter registration ahead of LGE 2026-2027.
Reflecting on the 2024 Elections
The IEC also highlighted the success of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections, which it said met international standards for freeness and fairness, as well as constitutional and legal requirements. T
he Commission presented the official report to the National Assembly in early July, and the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs reviewed it on 15 July.
The 2024 elections saw 27.78 million registered voters — the highest number since the voters’ roll was first introduced in 1999.
There were 88 legal challenges related to the electoral process, of which the IEC prevailed in all but one.
That remaining case, concerning special voting stations outside official foreign missions, is still pending in the Supreme Court of Appeal.
The Portfolio Committee commended the IEC for delivering free, fair, and credible elections while acknowledging areas for improvement.
Looking Ahead to 2026
With consultations underway and ward boundaries nearly finalized, the IEC is moving decisively to ensure a smooth and transparent process for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
Citizens can expect voter registration and other preparations to ramp up in the coming months, bringing the country closer to another milestone in its democratic journey.
