THE Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has announced an additional registration weekend on August 1-2 for eligible voters to take advantage of ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

Also read: IEC ready for voter registration weekend

The additional period, according to IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo, forms part of efforts to expand voter access and bolster electoral participation.

“This additional weekend will provide additional opportunities for citizens to register and to update their details. The online voter registration portal is now zero-rated, allowing all eligible South Africans to register, update their details, and verify their registration information without incurring data charges,” Mamabolo said.

According to the IEC, both initiatives form part of broader efforts to remove barriers that may prevent citizens from participating in the electoral process.

The previous voter registration period saw the IEC record 2.9 million voter registrations, increasing the national voters’ roll to 28.5 million voters.

In addition, Mamabolo explained that its online candidate nomination system is now operational for political parties and prospective independent candidates.

Also read: Local Government Elections date announced

He added that the IEC would shortly begin training sessions for registered political parties and prospective independent candidates to prepare them for the submission of nominations and supporters’ lists.

“There are currently about 30 000 pending online applications. These applications are pending primarily due to the quality of the ID image that voters uploaded,” he said.

Mamabolo said IEC officials would continue processing the applications and would contact affected applicants where necessary.

Citizens who have not yet registered were reminded that the online voter registration portal will remain available until the official proclamation of the election date.

How to check if you are eligible to vote

Registered voters can verify their registration details through the IEC mobile application, by SMSing their identity number to 32810, or by contacting the IEC contact centre on 0800 11 8000.

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