Parliament satisfied with IEC readiness for 2026 elections
The IEC has begun preparations for the 2026 local elections, including voter registration drives and cybersecurity planning, according to a briefing to SCOPA.
According to the South African Government News Agency, the committee met with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Department of Home Affairs on Wednesday, May 13, to assess operational readiness and budget allocations ahead of the elections.
The IEC told the committee it has been allocated R3.2b for the current financial year to support preparations for the polls.
Preparations include intensified voter registration campaigns aimed at addressing the under-representation of certain demographic groups on the voters’ roll, as well as planning for candidate nominations and the printing of ballot papers.
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Committee members welcomed the commission’s readiness but raised concerns about the timing of the elections during the matric examination period, noting that many schools are used as voting stations.
The IEC assured the committee that consultations with the Department of Basic Education would help minimise disruptions to matric learners. The commission also confirmed that Election Day would be declared a public holiday.
Committee chairperson Mmusi Maimane urged the IEC to strengthen outreach programmes encouraging young people to register and vote, citing historically low youth voter turnout.
Maimane also called for stronger measures to combat misinformation on social media and improved cybersecurity safeguards ahead of the elections.
“The scale of the elections across 240 municipalities and their wards requires strong measures to mitigate cybersecurity risks,” he said.
He further highlighted concerns around election security, referring to previous engagements where the police reported a shortage of about 6 000 personnel and incidents of security challenges during past elections.
During the briefing by the Department of Home Affairs, committee members also welcomed ongoing efforts to tackle corruption, particularly cases linked to the issuing of fraudulent identity documents.
