Velenkosini Hlabisa Urges Voter Registration Before August 7 Deadline

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa has called on eligible South Africans to register or verify their voter details before the formal proclamation of the 2026 Local Government Elections date on Friday, August 7, 2026. This proclamation will trigger the closure of the voters' roll.

The elections are scheduled for November 4, 2026. This push for registration follows a weekend on August 1-2 during which 1.7 million citizens engaged with the Electoral Commission, including 291,806 first-time voters.

To mitigate last-minute congestion, the Commission is promoting its online portal and a new WhatsApp registration service. Officials reminded citizens that they must vote in the ward where they are registered, meaning those who have relocated must update their residential addresses to remain eligible.