Are we ready for the upcoming local government polls?
· Citizen
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has reported steady growth in online voter self-registration, alongside continued uptake of its outreach initiatives, reflecting rising confidence in both digital and in-person channels.
Chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said yesterday that the IEC’s nationwide online voter registration campaign “is starting to bear fruit,” with 260 205 new registrations between November 2025 and February 2026.
Visit asg-reflektory.pl for more information.
Of these, 132 092 were processed via the online portal, while 128 113 were captured through voter management devices (VMDs).
IEC reports steady growth in voter registrations
Mamabolo said the gains mark a “crucial reversal” of the net decline in the voters’ roll, usually seen between election cycles due to mortality.
He credited the campaign’s February push for encouraging citizens to register early and proactively. South Africa has also been lauded as Africa’s most transparent country in political party funding disclosure, ahead of Morocco.
The IEC confirmed 508 registered political parties, with 20 new sign-ups since October 2025.
ALSO READ: WATCH LIVE: IEC on the preparations for the upcoming local government elections
Of these, 299 are registered nationally, while 209 operate at provincial, district or municipal level.
Mamabolo said the increase in registrations reflects growing confidence in both IEC’s digital and in-person channels.
“The steady increase in registrations can also be attributed to the online registration campaign, which encouraged citizens to register, update and verify their details remotely.
Growing confidence in IEC’s digital and in-person channels
“This campaign demonstrated that South Africans are heeding the call to register early and proactively participate in the democratic process,” he said.
Election analyst Michael Atkins noted Gauteng’s dominance in online registrations, with 41 848 recorded, followed by KwaZulu-Natal (23 858) and Western Cape (17 733). Northern Cape, with its smaller population, logged 4 009.
Limpopo led in-person registrations at 27 798, ahead of Eastern Cape (24 308), KwaZulu-Natal (19 915), Western Cape (15 995) and North West (14 701).
ALSO READ: Here’s what political party got the most in donations during the last quarter of 2025
Atkins said the IEC’s preparations remain strong: “The IEC has generally been very good during the preparation stages for elections and this year looks no different.”
He added that the proliferation of registered parties is less significant than how many contest each election, noting that many are confined to local municipalities.
Interestingly, Gauteng recorded only 5 115 in-person registrations, below Northern Cape’s 5 287 and just above Mpumalanga’s 3 868.
In-person registrations
Analysts suggested this reflects a migration to online platforms in the country’s richest province, though no official correlation has been confirmed.
Mamabolo confirmed that 530 municipal outreach coordinators have been appointed to strengthen civic education at grassroots level.
He stressed that voter education runs year-round, but is intensified ahead of elections.
ALSO READ: ActionSA to announce merger with two political parties today, who will it be?
On voter apathy and turnout, Atkins said expectations placed on the IEC are often unfair, as many challenges lie beyond its control.
Atkins pointed to the pending Electoral Laws Amendment Bill, which will tighten annual registration renewal rules for parties.
“Without penalising anyone unfairly, this should help cut down on frivolous parties or those that fail to meet administrative requirements,” he said.