The Electoral Commission of South Africa IEC announced that 477,000 new voters registered during the weekend of June 20-21, with 80% of these being young people aged 16 to 29. Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo highlighted that youth-focused campaigns are resonating, indicating that young people are not apathetic voters. The commission recorded 2.9 million registration transactions in total, surpassing the 1.7 million transactions from the comparable 2021 voter registration weekend. Female voters accounted for 57% of all transactions and 53% of new registrations, continuing a trend of more females on the voters' roll. KwaZulu-Natal led provincially with 691,000 transactions. The IEC has also made its online voter registration portal zero-rated and plans a second registration weekend on August 1-2. An online candidate nomination system is live for political parties and independent candidates. Mamabolo also addressed a circulating video showing alleged registration irregularities in Mpumalanga, stating that a criminal investigation has been launched into the matter.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Citizen.
The African National Congress in the City of Johannesburg currently lacks a mayoral candidate for the upcoming local government elections. A leaked letter from Kgalema Motlanthe, chair of the ANC鈥檚 Electoral Committee, to Sasabona Manganye, the party鈥檚 Johannesburg regional secretary, and Johannesburg Regional Office Bearers members, indicates that previous nomination processes were flawed and inconsistent with the party鈥檚 constitution. The letter states that the Regional Executive Committee nominated only one mayoral candidate, Loyiso Masuku, and delegated the nomination of the other two candidates to the Office Bearers, which was deemed a dereliction of duty and non-compliant with party rules. Motlanthe's office has instructed the Johannesburg REC to reconvene a special meeting to nominate three mayoral candidates. These candidates must be scrutinized for qualifications, experience, skills, knowledge, expertise, integrity, and capacity. REC members must be allowed to comment on suitability and nominate other candidates. The final list of three candidates, with at least two being female, must achieve 50% plus one of the REC members' votes and reach the secretary-general鈥檚 office by Saturday, July 20, 2026. This directive follows a complaint from Muzi Ndlovu and an REC member regarding the flawed selection process. Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast commented that the ANC's brand has been damaged regardless of who becomes the mayoral candidate.
The MK party appears to be struggling with campaign funding for the upcoming local government elections, with volunteers reporting a lack of resources and former spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela indicating an over-reliance on Independent Electoral Commission IEC funds. Ndhlela suggested the party needs a dedicated fundraiser and should evolve into an "institution" or think tank to attract international donors, rather than solely relying on IEC funding. Political analyst Andre Duvenhage commented that despite financial difficulties, the MK party might adopt an unconventional campaign approach, focusing on grassroots mobilization and capitalizing on existing instability, including tensions between anti-migrant groups and foreign nationals. Duvenhage suggested this strategy could involve intimidation, violence, and confrontation, particularly in areas with Zulu prominence like KwaZulu-Natal. He also noted that the party's initial funding sources in 2023 were unclear, with implications of involvement from Russia and Iran.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa IEC is investigating an incident in Mpumalanga where an IEC registration official was seen with multiple IDs, allegedly received from an ANC member. The incident, which occurred at Okhela Primary School VS, Ward 9, Victor Khanye Municipality, Nkangala, has prompted the IEC to state that it does not tolerate conduct compromising election integrity and will take appropriate action. This comes as South Africans participated in a voter registration weekend for the 2026 Local Government Elections, with approximately 330,000 applications processed by Saturday noon. KwaZulu-Natal led in registrations, followed by Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, with young people forming the majority of applicants. The IEC also warned the public about fake job recruitment notices and misleading election-related content circulating online, emphasizing that legitimate employment opportunities are only advertised on its official website. The commission thanked various stakeholders for their support during the registration process.