THE Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has announced the dates for its national voter registration weekend on June 20 and 21, and cautioned citizens to be alert to scams concerning voter registration.

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This weekend is set aside to make it easier for South Africans to register near their homes. The commission emphasised that announcing the election date early is important because it lets voters choose where they will be on voting day, which controls where they should register.

“In a local government election, there is no legal facility to vote outside of the voting station of registration. This is a necessary requirement as it ensures that voters vote in a ward election that has a relationship with their place of ordinary residence. In other words, voters vote for ward councillors to represent the communities in which they live,” read a statement from the IEC.

More people are registering to vote online

The Commission has seen more citizens using its online registration platform.

From November 2025 to March, 260 205 new registrations were recorded nationwide. Of these, 128 113 voters registered using Voter Management Devices, while 132 092 did it through the online platform.

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This growth is partly due to the national Online Voter Registration Campaign in February, encouraging people to register, check or update their details online. The commission said that this increase is a good thing because it helps make up for the regular drop in voter numbers caused by people dying between elections.

To support voters, the commission has also improved its contact centre to help with registration questions and general election details.

Keep an eye out for fake websites and scams

As the country gets ready for the upcoming local government elections, people should watch out for fake websites and other tricks meant to steal their information. The statement read that scammers are using technology and artificial intelligence to spread wrong information and create believable fake platforms.

“The commission is aware of fake websites impersonating its domain. The sites are intended to lure unsuspecting members of the public to share their personal information. The IEC does not use the domain such as examtapzme.github.io. Members of the public are advised not to click on links and urged not to share their personal information (ID number, phone number, address, etc.) on these websites,” read the statement.

The commission is also aware of a fake recruitment ad going around on social media and messaging platforms.

“People should remember that the commission does not use shortened links for recruitment, and all real job openings are announced on its official website. The commission also said that it never asks for payment during its recruitment process,” said the commission.

Register and check your details

The commission is calling on all eligible voters to use the 24-hour online registration portal to sign up and make sure their details are correct.

“Registering is the first and most important thing you can do to participate in South Africa’s democracy,” read the statement.

Eligible citizens can register or check their details at https://www.elections.org.za/.

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