The KwaZulu-Natal police will deploy thousands of officers across the province to secure the 2026 Local Government Elections. The Acting Police Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Major-General Phumelele Makoba, will send off the officers to districts across the province in a multidisciplinary parade at Hoy Park in Durban. The deployment is part of the province's election security plan, which includes securing over 4,300 voting stations and hotspot areas.
The deployment will include various units such as Public Order Policing, Tactical Response Teams, Visible Policing, Crime Intelligence, SAPS Airwing, Metro Police, and the SANDF in support of SAPS. Joint operational centres have been activated in all 11 districts to monitor election-related incidents, service delivery protests, and political intimidation. The police will work to ensure a safe and secure voting environment for the over 5.8 million registered voters in KZN.
The send-off follows a largely smooth Day 1 of special voting, which saw elderly, disabled, and pregnant voters, as well as essential workers, cast their ballots at homes and voting stations. The IEC in KZN reported no major incidents on Day 1 and said that 98% of stations opened on time. Special votes will conclude on Tuesday at 5pm.
KZN Premier Thami Ntuli had a state of readiness briefing on Sunday, where he said the province was ready to deliver free, fair, and safe elections. All government departments, including COGTA, Health, Transport, and Disaster Management, are on standby. Ntuli warned against intimidation, vote-buying, and spreading misinformation, and noted that municipalities have finalised logistics for water, electricity, and access roads to voting stations.
The 2026 Local Government Elections will take place on November 4, with voting stations set to open from 7am to 9pm. Over 5.8 million registered voters in KZN are expected to vote in 54 municipalities. The IEC and police are working together to ensure a smooth and secure voting process.
The security deployment is a multi-agency effort, with various units working together to ensure a safe and secure voting environment. The police will be working closely with the IEC, Metro Police, and other stakeholders to monitor the elections and respond to any incidents that may arise.
The province is taking a proactive approach to ensuring the success of the elections, with all government departments and stakeholders working together to ensure a free, fair, and safe voting process. The elections will be a critical moment for the province, with 54 municipalities set to elect new councillors and municipal leaders.
Key points
- Over 5.8 million registered voters in KZN are expected to vote in the 2026 Local Government Elections.
- The police will deploy thousands of officers to secure over 4,300 voting stations and hotspot areas across the province.
- The province is taking a multi-agency approach to ensuring a safe and secure voting environment, with various units working together to monitor the elections.
