The number of candidates for the 2026 Local Government Elections has jumped by 43%, but men still dominate the nominations. 

According to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), 142 072 candidates have been nominated to contest 10 526 council seats across South Africa in the November 4 elections. 

Preliminary figures reveal: 

• 299 political parties and 127 independent candidates submitted their nominations through the Online Candidate Nomination System. 

• 205 political parties and 634 independent candidates submitted their nominations manually at commission offices 

• 40 241 candidates were nominated by political parties to contest proportional representation seats. 

• 100 856 candidates were nominated by political parties to contest ward seats. 

• 975 independent candidates have been nominated to contest ward seats. 

Sharp rise in nominations

During the 2021 Local Government Elections, the IEC received 99 000 nominations. This year’s figure of 142 072 represents an increase of approximately 43%.

“Nominated candidates are dominated by individuals aged between 36 and 55, who account for 58%. The highest concentration is in the 41 to 45 age group, accounting for 16% of candidates,” added the IEC.

Thousands left out after system deadline

In addition to the official submissions, the IEC confirmed that 2 274 candidates across 45 political parties were captured on the online system but were not formally submitted by the August 28 deadline. This affects 480 PR and 1 794 potential ward candidates. The commission ruled that these individuals were not properly submitted and are therefore not in contention for the election.

Gender disparity in candidate lists 

A gender analysis showed that men account for nearly two-thirds of all nominations, while women’s representation sits at about 38% overall. 

“Men also dominate the PR lists at 56%, compared to 44% women on the same lists. In ward elections, 65% of contestants are male, while women make up 35%,” it said. 

Metropolitan contestation 

The City of Johannesburg has the highest number of PR contestants at 80 parties, followed by the City of Tshwane (72), eThekwini (70), Ekurhuleni (69) and the City of Cape Town (55). 

Other municipalities in the top 10 are Emfuleni (43), Polokwane (40), Rustenburg (38), Nelson Mandela Bay (38) and Capricorn District (38). 

National and provincial party participation 

There are 345 political parties registered at national level; 227 of those have nominated candidates, representing 66% of the registered parties.  

At the provincial level, 36 parties are registered, with 33 contesting representing 92%. 

The metropolitan level, 61 parties are registered, with 49 contesting, representing 80% of the registered parties; and at the district level, 290 parties are registered, with 237 contesting, representing 82%. 

 “Overall, 546 of the 732 registered political parties are contesting these elections. This represents 75% of the registered parties in the republic,” said the IEC. 

Voters’ roll certified 

The IEC received more than 300 objections to the voters’ roll and upheld 79. 
The objections mainly concerned voters who allegedly did not belong in certain wards, while others claimed that voters had been left off the roll in particular wards. The IEC said incomplete address details were another common reason for objections. 

According to the IEC, the objections were considered and resolved, allowing for the voters’ roll to be certificated on August 26. 

Next steps to final candidate list 

The IEC is now reviewing the submissions of the candidate nominations for legislative compliance, including proof of deposit payments and required voter support details for independent candidates. 

The final list of candidates is expected to be released on September 16. 

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