Final hours to register as IEC warns voters not to miss deadline

The clock is ticking for South Africans to register to vote or update their details ahead of the local government elections, with the Electoral Commission (IEC) warning that time is running out.

Eligible voters have until midnight on Friday, 7 August, to register or update their details before the voters’ roll closes ahead of the 4 November elections.

IEC Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Sy Mamabolo, on Monday urged those who missed the recent voter registration weekend to use the commission’s online platforms rather than wait until the final hours.

“Experience has shown that a surge in registration activity often occurs closer to key deadlines, creating avoidable pressures on the registration channels,” he said. 

The deadline is linked to the anticipated proclamation of the election date by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa on Friday. Once the proclamation is gazetted, the voters’ roll will close.

The IEC has also introduced voter registration through WhatsApp, allowing eligible voters to register or update their details using secure identity verification, including OTP authentication, ID uploads, address verification and voting station confirmation.

Mamabolo said the move would make registration more accessible and convenient for millions of South Africans.

“By leveraging a platform that is used daily by millions of South Africans. The commission is expanding access to voter registration by improving convenience and ensuring that more eligible voters can register or update details before the Close of the registration period at midnight on the 7th of August this Friday,” Mamabolo said.

The latest figures from the IEC’s second registration weekend on 1 and 2 August, show strong participation among young people. 

Voters aged 16 to 29 accounted for 46% of the 291,806 new registrations recorded during the weekend, while 485,757 youth registration transactions were recorded overall.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest youth registration activity, with 137,000 transactions, followed by the Eastern Cape with 79,000 and Gauteng with 78,000.

Women accounted for 56% of all registration transactions, compared with 44% for men.

Overall, the IEC recorded 1.7 million registration transactions during the weekend, bringing the combined total across both registration weekends to 4.6 million.

With the registration campaign drawing to a close, the commission says it is now turning its focus to election preparations. 

Mamabolo said the next phase will begin once the election date is officially proclaimed, triggering key processes including candidate nominations, certification of the voters’ roll and other preparations leading up to polling day on 4 November.

IEC Media Briefing Updates| ❌ Voters’ Roll Closing SOON!

🇿🇦 South Africa’s voters’ roll has officially surpassed 29 million registered voters.

🗳️ Register or update your details online before midnight on 7 August 2026: https://t.co/QFgJgjwl82#WozaLGE2026 #RegisterToVote pic.twitter.com/PuQpCGUbFa

— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) August 3, 2026