South Africa's sixth local government elections: 27,912,415 registered voters, 214 municipalities and 4,488 wards
16 October 2026
The Electoral Commission of South Africa is conducting the Local Government Elections announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa for 4 November 2026.
Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo described them as the sixth local government elections since 1994.
The voters' roll stood at 27,912,415 when the Commission launched its election campaign, exceeding the figure at the 2024 general elections.
The Commission recorded 376,140 new registrations between January and May 2026, while losing an average of 34,000 voters a month to mortality.
The elections cover 214 municipalities and 4,488 municipal wards.
The Commission also published a draft Code of Conduct on Misinformation for public comment.
In plain words
Chief Electoral Officer Chief Electoral Officer of South Africa — The head of the Electoral Commission's administration, responsible for running the poll.