With the Electoral Commission’s (IEC) voter registration Weekend just days away, South Africans, particularly young people are being encouraged to participate in the commission’s drive as the country counts down to the 4 November 2026 polls.
During the voter registration weekend on 20 and 21 June, the Electoral Commission will open all 23,706 voting stations from 8 -5pm on both days.
“Eligible citizens will have an opportunity to register to vote, verify their registration status and update their registration details, including addresses where necessary,” the Commission said ahead of the registration weekend.
To vote in the Local Government Elections (LGE) on 4 November, voters need to be registered to vote and must have their smartcard or green bar-coded identity document (ID) or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC). A voter must also be a South African citizen and aged 18 years and above.
This weekend’s registration weekend comes at a time when the country is commemorating Youth Month and Youth Day (on 16 June).
The Electoral Commission has previously spoken to the importance of young people’s participation in elections.
“Youth are core to the development process of each nation, but their contributions will not achieve full impact unless they participate in their nation’s decision-making processes. Elections are a key part of making decisions and choices in your society,” the Commission said.
Citizens can check their registration status, voting station and ward details on the IEC’s website using this link: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/Voter/Voter-Information .
Meanwhile, the Commission is set to provide the nation with an update on its readiness for national voter registration weekend on Thursday.
On Friday, a joint meeting of three parliamentary oversight committees received a briefing from the IEC on the state of readiness for the LGE and the voter registration weekend.
The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Select Committee on Security and Justice met with the IEC to assess progress on voter registration and the IEC's operational readiness.
“The committees emphasised the need for clear communication to educate the public about the electoral system. The committees also emphasised that educational communication must be in all indigenous languages, including sign language, to educate, inform and raise awareness about the electoral system,” said the Portfolio Committees of Home Affairs, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and Select Committee on Security and Justice on Saturday.
The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Justice, Jane Mananiso, welcomed the engagement, emphasising the importance of the briefing ahead of the registration weekend during Youth Month.
“It is important that we target the youth to register,” she said while also stressing the importance of including the youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and rural areas.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Zweli Mkhize, welcomed the presentation and said Parliament should continue to receive regular updates on public attitudes towards elections and trust in institutions.
“It is something that we, as parliamentarians, must constantly work on and find ways of improving, to increase the level of trust and confidence of the public,” Dr Mkhize said.
The committees also asked the IEC to regularly update Parliament on matters before the courts that may affect public perception and trust.
Members also asked to be updated regularly on the situation in areas where there are boundary disputes following the ward delimitation process, as this may affect voter registration and participation. The committees resolved that further engagement with the IEC will be necessary as preparations continue.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mosa Chabane, welcomed the information shared. He said the committees will consider an oversight visit during a future registration weekend, where and when possible, to assess implementation on the ground. -SAnews.gov.za
