After two days of special voting, South Africa’s Local Government Elections kick off today, with more than 29 million registered voters descending on polling stations across the country.

Voting stations open their doors at 07:00 and close at 21:00, after which the mammoth task of counting begins. The country’s 23 696 voting stations are bracing for what could be a watershed moment in local democracy.

The lead-up to today’s main voting day has not been without its hiccups. Monday’s special voting was marred by equipment failures and non-deliveries in various parts of the country, leaving electoral officials scrambling. But by Tuesday, special voting ran smoothly, with more than 2.6 million approved special voters casting their ballots either at home or at their registered voting stations.

Stay with us throughout the day as Novanews brings you live updates, photos and videos from voting stations across all nine provinces. We’ll be tracking the queues, the atmosphere, and any developments as South Africans make their voices heard at the ballot box.

South African voters will have real-time, district-by-district access to local government election results through an interactive map launched by NovaNews — part of an unprecedented media collaboration bringing together NovaNews, Die Papier and Nuuspod for comprehensive coverage of the 2026 Local Government Elections on Wednesday, 4 November.

NovaNews reporters are out and about countrywide at voting stations to bring you live coverage throughout the day.

The interactive map, freely accessible without paywalls on NovaNews, will display live voting results as they are counted, empowering citizens to monitor outcomes in their own districts and across the country in real time. The platform transforms how South Africans engage with election data, offering immediate transparency and community-level insights as results unfold.

Watch this morning’s broadcast: Munisipale Verkiesings 2026 Woensdag 4 November 2026

15:00 – Veteran politician and DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg Helen Zille continues to steal hearts in the City of Gold.

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14:55 – A record 29,2 million voters are registered across 23 696 voting stations nationwide, with 188 000 IEC officials deployed. An Ipsos poll has however found that 33% of registered voters were “very likely” and 43% “likely” to vote, while 13% were “not likely” and 10% “not at all likely” to vote.

14:40 – Western Cape Premier Alan Winde checks in on voting stations around the Cape Town metro at lunchtime, noting that while initial long queues and system delays at Grove Primary School were successfully escalated to the IEC, stations like Bastion Primary and Monte Hill experienced smooth, steady movement. In Hanover Park, heightened security was visible following minor gunshots in the area, emphasizing the critical role of deployed law enforcement and metro police in maintaining a safe environment. Leaders have urged voters who turned away earlier due to queues to return before polls close, while young local entrepreneurs have stepped up selling cold drinks and handing out umbrellas to help residents brave the heat.

14:30 – First-time voter Claudia Ruhle cast her ballot today at the Strand Town Hall, accompanied by her mother, Debora. Speaking outside the polling station, Debora voiced concerns over voting rights for permanent residents, pointing out that despite living, working, and paying taxes in South Africa, permanent residents have not been permitted to vote since 1994 and lack a voice in local governance.

14:10 – Speaking on the ground about election proceedings, monitors and party representatives highlighted logistical and operational hurdles faced at certain voting stations. While some challenges stemmed from a lack of adequate training for presiding officers – such as improper voting booth placement and inadequate lighting leading to compromised privacy – other isolated incidents involving presiding officer complacency were addressed and handled swiftly through engagement with authorities. Despite these hurdles, officials remain confident in a strong and organized outcome as the day progresses.

13:50 – Former President Thabo Mbeki has cast his vote at the Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg, joining millions of South Africans participating in the 2026 Local Government Elections. Speaking to the media after submitting his ballot, Mbeki shared his outlook on the country’s political landscape, predicting that the elections will likely result in a surge of hung municipal councils and fragmented voting patterns due to widespread public uncertainty and ongoing service delivery frustrations. Reflecting on the state of local governance, he emphasised that addressing the foundational causes of municipal failure remains critical as voters weigh their options at the polls. PHOTO: GCIS

13:30 – Riaan Sunny of NovaNews reports live from the Strand voting station, where large crowds braved the morning sun before officials brought voters into the shade inside the premises. Despite the busy lines and packed parking lots earlier in the day, the voting process is currently running smoothly.

13:10 – In Paarl, voters shared their thoughts on the importance of local democracy, emphasising how privileged South Africans are to have the opportunity to vote and make their voices heard in shaping local municipalities and the country’s future.

12:50 – Presiding Officer Francois Keuller provides an update from the voting station at Dr. Block High School (Heidedal), noting that early morning queues saw voters lining up as early as 04:00. By 09:00, election officials had already processed nearly 700 voters, with smooth movement and no prolonged waiting times anticipated for the remainder of the day. Special votes also progressed well, reaching an 80% turnout rate among the 640 registered special and home-visit voters.

12:45 – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema casts his ballot at Mponegele Lower Primary School polling station in Polokwane, during South Africa’s local government election. PHOTO: Lucas Ledwaba / AFP

12:15 – President Cyril Ramaphosa and First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe cast their votes in the 2026 Local Government Elections at the Hyde Park High School in the City of Johannesburg. The President called on all registered voters to use the opportunity of the public holiday to exercise their democratic right and civic duty by voting in this election that empowers citizens to elect local public representatives and influence service delivery where they live. PHOTO: Ilse Salzwedel / Die Papier

12:00 – Former President Kgalema Motlanthe cast his ballot at the Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg earlier today during the 2026 Local Government Elections.

11:50 – ActionSA’s mayoral candidate for the City of Cape Town, Dereleen James, has just cast her ballot. PHOTO: Bohemia Hoffmeester-Jumatt / Die Papier

11:45 – Helen Zille explains the voting process to reporters in Emmarentia, Johannesburg. VIDEO: Ilse Salzwedel / Die Papier

11:30 – Voting day is in full swing in a very hot Bloemfontein. Petrus Jacobus de Wee (78), Lukas Willem de Wee (53), and Martha Minni (54) cast their votes at Dr. Block High School in Heidedal. By 11:20, roughly 100 voters had passed through the polling station. While things had quieted down slightly by 11:00, voters continue to brave the intense heat in Bloemfontein.

11:00 – Western Cape Premier Alan Winde visited voting stations across Cape Town today, where he met with local residents. Here he is with Esmé Green from Bonteheuwel, who clearly showed her dedication by colouring her hair in her party’s colours.

10:45 – Voting is getting off to a slow but steady start in Hermanus in the Western Cape.

10:30 – President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived at Hyde Park High School in Johannesburg to cast his ballot in the 2026 Local Government Elections. PHOTO: Ilse Salzwedel / Die Papier

10:20 – Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis addressed the media at an Edgemead voting station after casting his ballot in the 2026 Local Government Elections.

10:15 – Enthusiastic young and old voters have been queuing since early morning to cast their vote at the Old Apostolic church in central Stellenbosch.

10:10 – Law enforcement and security agencies have been deployed in full force across the country today, as millions of South Africans head to the polls for the Local Government Elections.

Authorities have reinforced the national mandate of impartiality, professionalism, and public safety. Police and security personnel have been instructed to execute their duties with strict discipline, act decisively against any unlawful conduct, and ensure that every eligible citizen can exercise their constitutional right to vote in a safe and secure environment.

Law enforcement leadership has reiterated that the police are not players in the political landscape, but rather the guarantors of the conditions under which democracy can take place. Officials emphasised that no political affiliation places anyone above the law, and a zero-tolerance approach will be maintained toward any disruptions.

Comprehensive operational plans—including heightened visibility, ground patrols, and aerial surveillance in key regions—are active nationwide to safeguard voting districts and protect the integrity of the ballot.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) and its security partners remain fully mobilised and operationally ready to maintain peace and order throughout the country for the duration of the election.

10:00 – Very long voter queues can be seen in Secunda, Mpumalanga.

09:50 – DA mayoral candidate Helen Zille has arrived at Emmerentia Primary School in Emmerentia, where she was met by a large media contingent of dozens of journalists waiting to cover her vote.

09:45 – Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, his wife Carla and Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, are voting today at the Edgemead Primary School in Cape Town. Hill-Lewis addressed the media and said the City will continue to focus on deploying more policing resources on the Cape Flats and to make land available for low cost housing.

09:40 – Voting at the NJ Heyns School in Kimberley’s Ward 23 is progressing smoothly, with nearly 20% of voters – including both special and regular votes—having already cast their ballots.

While long queues were visible outside the polling station early this morning, the crowd had thinned out significantly by 09:15. It appears the scorching Kimberley sun prompted voters to step back and avoid the heat. Several political parties are represented in the ward.

A clear process was put in place to protect the secrecy and confidentiality of votes, particularly regarding special votes and home visits. Voters who utilized the special voting process placed their three ballot papers into an Envelope A, which was then sealed inside an Envelope B.

Although these envelopes were used at certain polling stations on Monday and Tuesday, ballots at some stations were cast directly into the three distinct ballot boxes—likely due to envelope stock running out.

Despite the heat, the mood outside NJ Heyns School remains cheerful and upbeat. Representatives from the ANC and other parties are watching passing voters, anxiously wondering if the marks were drawn in their favor.

Here is DA candidate Reggie Schikerling of Ward 23, a ward he is aiming to retain.

09:30 – Voters in Welkom were shocked at the state of the road to the Philip Smit voting station in Thabong which is flooded by sewage. Vehicle and pedestrian access is limited and the smell is unbearable. The left-hand side of the double road is totally blocked. Voters at the voting station said that they are voting for improved municipal service delivery.

09:15 – Reporters from various media houses are waiting patiently outside the Edgemead Primary School in Edgemead, Cape Town, where the City of Cape Town executive mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is expected to make his mark in this year’s Local Government Elections.

09:00 – Voters in Greenpoint, Kimberley, turned up in their thousands early Wednesday morning to cast their intended votes. Long queues formed outside the polling station, with voters braving the scorching Northern Cape sun to make their voices heard.

By 09:00, nearly 200 votes had already been cast. The presiding officer and local residents expressed their satisfaction with the smooth progress of the voting process thus far. Although there was a large influx of voters earlier in the morning, activity subsided slightly by mid-morning.

Outside the polling station, various political parties had set up their information tents. Among them are the EFF, the newly established Kimberley Action Group, and the South African Communist Party (SACP), which is participating in the election on its own for the first time.

However, the excitement among voters is overshadowed by the concerning state of the environment. On either side of the polling venue, rubbish and litter lay scattered across the open field, while the stench of waste and refuse hung in the air.

According to residents, this poor municipal service delivery is the main reason for their dissatisfaction and anger. Many of the voters indicated that they are showing up to vote precisely so they can bring about change in their community.

08:45 – JJ Mulder (31) makes sure his voice is heard at the Swartland Town Hall. Already, 500 registered voters had cast their ballots here by 08:00, with IEC officials expecting approximately 2,733 voters to make their mark in the ward today. PHOTO: Charlotte Lesch

08:20 – Things are getting off to a slow start in Welkom. At the AGS Noord church, only 15 people have so far cast their votes.

08:15 – Macassar residents are very excited to be voting this morning, for a better future for all.

08:00 – Voters line-up in full force at Paarl voting station.

07:30 – Voters across the Northern Cape are flocking to the polls today in South Africa’s largest and most sparsely populated province, where more than 713,000 registered voters are exercising their democratic right to vote.

To ensure participation across this massive province, the Independent Electoral Commission has established 736 voting districts, with approximately 20 percent of all voting stations set up on private commercial farms.

Election teams had to brave extraordinary logistical challenges—from rough dirt roads and rooftop tents in the Kgalagadi to early shifts under police escort—to open voting stations on time even at isolated points with fewer than twenty voters.

In urban centers like Kimberley in Sol Plaatje, the election is fiercely contested, where residents—after years of dirty streets, overflowing sewage, and municipal crises—are voting for clean administration and working infrastructure.

Amid province-wide frustration over bad roads and high unemployment, communities hope today that their votes will finally enforce efficient service delivery and true accountability.

07:00 – And doors have officially opened at voting stations for the 2026 elections.

07:50 – Voters countrywide have already started lining up at voting stations in anticipation of the local government elections 2026.