With the next round of local government elections approaching, South Africans are being urged to act now or risk losing their chance to vote. The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has made it clear: without registering, there will be no ballot.

The IEC’s Cape Winelands office, which covers the Drakenstein-, Stellenbosch-, Breedevallei-, Witzenberg- and Langeberg Municipalities recently visited Paarl to remind residents of the importance of registering ahead of the local government elections (LGE).

According to Liezl Louw, regional assistant manager for the Cape Winelands IEC, the first voter registration weekend will take place from 20 to 21 June. Details of registration stations will be communicated closer to the time.The second registration weekend will be held in July with a date yet to be announced.

Alternatively, South Africans aged 16 and older, in possession of a valid identity document, may register online via the IEC’s official platform (registertovote.elections.org.za). Only those aged 18 and above, however, will be eligible to vote.

Louw said the upcoming LGE is expected to take place between 2 November 2026 and 30 January 2027. Municipal terms run for five years, with the last elections held in November 2021.

The Cape Winelands district currently has just over 411 000 registered voters across 100 wards and 260 voting districts. However, turnout remains a concern. During the 2024 national elections, roughly 58% of registered voters participated.

Malusi Msomi, assistant IEC manager of outreach in the Western Cape, emphasised the need to improve this figure, noting that the IEC Western Cape has developed a targeted plan to increase voter participation.

The strategy includes engaging and persuading first-time voters to register and vote, strengthening stakeholder relationships -particularly with the media to reach broader audiences, and voter education.

Enhancing the IEC’s visibility is also a key focus, with efforts aimed at building brand awareness and establishing a stronger presence across the Western Cape.