The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) confirmed the elections of municipal councils will fall between 2 November 2026 and 31 January 2027.
It held a press conference at its headquarters in Centurion on Tuesday 16 August, when Sy Mamabolo, chief electoral officer of the IEC, said consultations between Velenkosini Hlabisa, minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and the commission had commenced.
The minister has the authority to set a date and call an election.
Political parties are also gearing up for next year’s elections. The IEC has registered 34 new political parties since the 2024 general elections. Thirteen of them were registered in the period between July and Tuesday.
At the time of the briefing, there were 473 registered political parties, 287 of them registered on a national level and the balance either registered provincially or at district or metro municipal level.
“As we prepare for the 2026 elections, citizens are reminded to register to vote in voting districts of the wards where they are residents,” the IEC said in a statement.
“A registered voter who has moved since they last registered is urged to check and, if necessary, update their address details to ensure that they are registered in a ward linked to their new place of residence.”
Registering as a voter and updating your registration is quick and easy.
Voters may register, inspect and update their details by visiting registertovote.elections.org.za, which is available around-the-clock. The process is quick, safe and secure. Use your identity document and follow prompts.
