South Africans who have not yet registered to vote are being urged to do so before voter registration closes at midnight on Friday.
Electoral Commission Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said there was still time for eligible citizens who missed the weekend registration drives to register online or through its newly launched WhatsApp registration service, warning voters not to wait until the final hours before the deadline.
More than 1.7 million people interacted with the IEC during the final voter registration weekend on 1 and 2 August. Of these, nearly 292 000 were first-time voters, while more than 1.5 million existing voters checked or updated their registration details to ensure they are registered in the correct voting district.
Mamabolo stressed that, in local government elections, voters can only cast their ballots at the voting station where they are registered, making it essential for anyone who has moved to update their address before registrations close.
The registration campaign also saw strong participation from young people, with almost 486 000 interactions recorded among citizens aged between 16 and 29. Encouragingly, nearly half of all new registrations were by voters under the age of 29, signalling growing youth participation ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
To make registration even more accessible, the IEC has introduced voter registration via WhatsApp.
The platform allows users to register or update their details using secure identity verification, while some users may be directed to the online registration portal to confirm their residential address through an interactive map.
The Commission has appealed to eligible voters not to delay registering or updating their information, saying experience shows registration channels become increasingly busy as deadlines approach.
Citizens can also check their registration status using the SMS service on 32810 or seek assistance through the IEC's contact centre and WhatsApp support line.
The 2026 Local Government Elections are scheduled for 4 November, with the formal election timetable expected to be announced after the election is proclaimed on Friday, 7 August. – SAnews.gov.za
