The IEC said roughly 2% of voting stations opened late, with delays of up to two hours due to protests and inclement weather.
Elections 2026
Voters queueing at a voting station near Centurion on 4 November. Picture: Lukholo Mazibuko / The Citizen
Millions of South Africans made their way to voting stations early on Wednesday to exercise their democratic right.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) deputy chief Masego Sheburi said during the IEC’s midday briefing that turnout had been pleasing, with few incidents reported so far.
98% of stations opened on time
Sheburi said 98% of the almost 24 000 voting stations opened on time, with protests and inclement weather delaying starts by up to two hours in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Mpumalanga.
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View MapThe IEC confirmed that as of 10am on Wednesday, 3.5 million voters had cast their ballots.
The following approximate turnout numbers were recorded in each province:
- Gauteng – 895 000
- KZN – 623 000
- Western Cape – 461 000
- Eastern Cape – 431 000
- Limpopo – 366 000
- Mpumalanga – 252 00
- North West 204 00
- Free State – 195 000
- Northern Cape – 93 000
Sheburi thanked those who had already voted, and encouraged those who hadn’t to get to voting stations to avoid potential congestion.
“The commission is particularly encouraged by those voters who made their way to stations early in the morning to avoid the last-hour rushes in the afternoon.
“We urge all remaining registered voters to use the remaining hours of voting to cast their ballot and thereby exercise their democratic right and continue to influence affairs in their locality and in their municipalities.”
Will the weather disrupt voting?
The IEC officials were asked what contingencies were in place if rain disrupted the final hours of voting day.
Johannesburg and Durban have a 25% chance of rain from 6pm, with IEC chair Mosotho Moepya asking voters not to leave it to chance.
“Let’s not prejudge the weather, but there are provisions in law to deal with that situation, and we should be comfortable dealing with it.
“But we want voters to take care of the weather conditions where they live and to take advantage of an opportunity in that situation to please come, and come as early as possible to the voting stations,” said Moepya
