On April 30, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that eligible voters will be making their mark in the 2026 local elections on November 4.

With the first voter registration weekend scheduled to take place on June 20 and 21, Ward 27 Clr Lornette Joseph urges Benoni residents to take note of changes affecting certain voting districts.

This may affect where they will be casting their votes and under which ward they will fall following the election.

“One such example is Airfield and its voting station at Northfield Methodist Church,” she said.

“Following the release of the election results, this area will fall under Ward 28, and therefore voters will be electing a councillor specifically for that ward.”

She, however, clarified that service delivery duties for all suburbs that currently fall under the Ward 27 demarcation will continue to form part of her scope of work until the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa has made the results public and all new elected officials have been sworn in.

“It is therefore crucial that members of the community confirm whether their voting stations and demarcations have changed and ensure that they are correctly registered before November 4,” she said.

To view the updated ward maps, go to https://maps.elections.org.za/vsfinder/

Voter registration times on June 20 and 21 are from 08:00 to 17:00.

Being a local election, Joseph explained that residents are participating in the election of the City of Ekurhuleni leadership as well as representative ward councillors.

“Unlike the national elections, votes must be cast in the area where you live and therefore holiday makers and those travelling for work will not be permitted to vote at voting stations in other cities or provinces,” she said.

“If you are unable to vote within the area that you are registered, you will not be eligible to vote anywhere else. Where possible, we urge residents to plan trips accordingly to avoid missing the opportunity to exercise their democratic right and responsibility.

“It is vitally important to vote within the ward where you live, as it will have a direct impact on service delivery as well as how the municipality will be governed.”

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Reasons to participate in the voter registration weekend:

• Register as a first-time voter.
• Update personal details such as residential address if you have moved.
• Confirm allocated voting station.
• Check whether you have been affected by any ward or voting district boundary changes.

To register, residents must:

• Be South African citizens.
• Be 16 years or older to register. Note that only citizens aged 18 years and older may vote.
• Present a valid South African identity document such as a green barcoded ID book, smart ID card or a valid temporary identity certificate.

Special votes

Special votes allow registered voters who cannot vote at their voting station on election day to apply to vote before November 4.
These votes will be cast on November 2 and 3 at the voting station where the applicant is registered from 08:00 to 17:00.

Types of special votes:
• Casting a vote at a voting station.
These special votes are made available to anyone who will not be able to visit their voting station on election day, due to travel.

Essential services personnel such as first responders, nurses, paramedics, law enforcement officers, CPF members and private security members may also register for a special vote.

• Home visits
Special votes cast at a registered voter’s home are granted for those who are immobile, infirm, ill or being housed in a frail care facility.

Home visits are conducted by an official from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), accompanied by party agents, to register voters at their homes or care facilities and to collect their ballots on the days designated for special voting.

“Special votes cannot be granted without registration,” said Joseph.

“If voters registered for special votes cannot make it to their designated voting station on the days before the election, they may still vote on the day; however, special treatment such as being moved to the front of the line cannot be guaranteed.”

Applications for special votes will open following the last voter registration dates.

Applications can be submitted:

• Online through the IEC Voter Information Portal https://registertovote.elections.org.za/voter/specialvotes/application/status;
• The IEC mobile application;
• Benoni IEC is located at the Benoni Municipal Building, ground floor, on the corner of Elston and Tom Jones streets.

“Once an application has been submitted, voters will be able to track the status of their application through the IEC’s online platforms,” said Joseph.

“Residents are urged not to wait until the last minute to confirm their registration details. Timeous action will contribute to ensuring a hassle-free voting process.”

To confirm that you are registered to vote, visit https://elections.org.za/pw/Voter/Voter-Information

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