Close to three million voter registration transactions were recorded during the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) national voter registration weekend on 20 and 21 June, marking a significant increase compared to the equivalent registration drive ahead of the 2021 Local Government Elections.
In a statement issued on Monday (22 June), the IEC said it had recorded 2.9 million registration transactions over the two-day period, up from 1.7 million during the comparable registration weekend in 2021.
“The Commission extends its sincere appreciation to South Africans across the country who turned out in their numbers during the Registration Weekend held on 20 and 21 June. This reaffirms the nation’s strong and enduring commitment to electoral participation,” the IEC said.
According to the Commission, the registration weekend achieved two major objectives: continued growth of the national voters’ roll and an improved registration yield among young people.
The registration drive increased the total number of registered voters to 28.5 million. Of the 2.9 million transactions, 477 174 were first-time registrations, representing 16% of all registration activity, while 2.4 million voters used the opportunity to inspect or update their registration details.
The IEC noted that updating voter information is particularly important ahead of local government elections because “there is no statutory opportunity for a voter to vote at a voting station in which they are not registered.”
Female voters accounted for 1.6 million transactions (57%), while men accounted for 1.2 million (43%). Among new registrations, women represented 53% and men 47%.
The Commission also welcomed the response from younger voters.
“The Commission is encouraged by the positive response of young persons,” it said.
People aged 16 to 29 accounted for 785 078 registration transactions, representing 27% of all registration activity. The same age group also made up 80% of all new registrations, with 379 767 first-time registrations.
“The figures indicate that the youth-focused campaign is finding resonance with young persons and that far from it – young people are not apathetic,” the Commission said.
Most voters chose to register at voting stations using the IEC’s Voting Management Devices, with more than 2.5 million transactions (88%) recorded through this channel. A further 362 296 transactions (12%) were completed via the online registration portal.
The Western Cape recorded 235 178 registration transactions, including 47 457 new registrations and 187 721 updates or confirmations. Nationally, KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of registration transactions at 691 504, followed by the Eastern Cape with 534 773 and Gauteng with 502 229.
The IEC also announced that its Online Voter Registration Portal is now zero-rated, allowing eligible South Africans to register, update or verify their voter information without incurring data charges.
A second national voter registration weekend has also been scheduled for 1 and 2 August to provide additional opportunities for citizens to register or update their details.
“The Online Voter Registration Portal will remain available until the official proclamation of the 2026 Local Government Elections,” the Commission said.
The IEC thanked voters, electoral staff, political parties, community organisations and other stakeholders for contributing to what it described as a successful registration weekend.
“Every registration strengthens South Africa’s democracy and ensures that communities have a voice in shaping the future of local government,” the Commission said.
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