Voting got off to a slow but steady start across the greater Endumeni district as South Africans went to the polls in the landmark 2026 local government elections.

Observers at Dundee Junior voting station described the turnout as “slow but steady”, with voters arriving in dribs and drabs throughout the day.

However, confusion over ward boundary changes resulted in several voters being turned away at Dundee Junior and other voting stations, despite receiving SMS notifications from the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) indicating where they were registered to vote.

Several dozen voters were reportedly redirected to other stations. In one particularly frustrating case, a 96-year-old voter had to visit three different voting stations before eventually casting his ballot at Dundee Secondary School.

IEC officials attributed the problems to changes in ward boundaries, saying voters could have avoided the inconvenience by checking their registration details during the three registration opportunities provided between May and August.

Despite the hiccups, the mood was largely upbeat, with political parties appearing confident that their election campaigns had done enough to persuade voters.

Water and jobs among Dannhauser concerns

In Dannhauser, a steady but relatively quiet stream of voters made their way to the primary and secondary school voting stations.

Among the major concerns facing the community were severe water disruptions, poor infrastructure and a lack of employment opportunities.

Al Jama-ah candidate Syed Mahmood-ul-Hassan Rizvi, 24, was highlighted by the party as one of the youngest candidates contesting in the district.

Glencoe brings election-day atmosphere

In Glencoe, the election atmosphere was more festive, with music blaring outside the Town Hall and people gathering in the area. Some were also seen drinking alcohol in public.

The Ward 7 contest was particularly keen, with 13 political parties and one independent candidate vying for a seat currently held by the DA.

Voting at Amakufundo Primary School in Sithembile was also described as slow but steady.

With voting stations scheduled to close at 9pm, counting was expected to begin shortly afterwards, with preliminary results anticipated to emerge during the early hours of the morning.

Reaction from some Courier readers on election day included:

Henriette Dunn:

I hope to see people out in numbers and hopefully voting for real change.. Bringing in people who truly care about our towns future, end corruption, nepotism and poor service delivery. Less crime, more jobs and better opportunities for all. All roads to be fixed properly…. My list could go on for days… Let’s just hope that people have seen the light and will vote wisely this time.

Nkosinathi Nkabinde:

IFP needs to be removed from the Umzinyathi District.

Nadia Grobler:

Let’s remember to eat our vegetables and not vote for them!

Gloria Pillay:

I am voting not for talk but action.

Charmaine M Craighead Barron

IFP and ANC must be removed