The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has reassured voters that they will be allowed to cast their ballots even if voting extends beyond the official 9pm closing time, provided they arrive at their registered voting stations before the deadline. This assurance comes as voting enters its final hours in the 2026 local government elections. IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo addressed the issue during a media briefing on election day progress.
By 5pm on Wednesday, preliminary figures showed that 12-million voters had cast their ballots across the country. Gauteng recorded the highest number of voters, with 3-million people having cast their ballots, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 2.5-million, the Western Cape with 1.5-million voters, and the Eastern Cape with 1.4-million. Other provinces also reported significant voter turnout.
Mamabolo urged eligible voters who had not yet voted to make their way to their registered voting stations before 9pm. He encouraged voters not to wait until the last minute but to use the remaining hours to exercise their democratic right. The IEC emphasized that anyone who arrives at a voting station before 9pm will be allowed to vote, even if the voting process extends beyond the official closing time.
The IEC reported that voting had progressed well across the country, despite a few isolated incidents. Mamabolo stated that the commission had made arrangements to ensure voting stations affected by electricity outages had generators and alternative lighting facilities to prevent disruptions during the counting process.
As voting enters the evening period, the IEC assured that adequate arrangements had been made to ensure the availability of generators and alternative lighting facilities at voting stations in areas that have experienced electricity outages. This measure aims to ensure that the counting process proceeds without unnecessary disruption.
The IEC said counting would begin at every voting station shortly after voting officially closes. Mamabolo expressed satisfaction with the encouraging turnout at many voting stations across the country. The commission is set to proceed with the counting of results.
The provincial breakdown of voters by 5pm is as follows: Gauteng - 3-million, KwaZulu-Natal - 2.5-million, Western Cape - 1.5-million, Eastern Cape - 1.4-million, Limpopo - 1.1-million, Mpumalanga - 854,901, North West - 702,133, Free State - 588,237, and Northern Cape - 299,381.
Key points
- The IEC assured voters that they can cast their ballots if they arrive at voting stations before 9pm, even if voting extends beyond closing time.
- By 5pm on Wednesday, 12-million voters had cast their ballots across the country.
- The IEC reported that voting had progressed well across the country, despite a few isolated incidents.
