The Department of Home Affairs will extend operating hours at all offices across the country during the final Voter Registration Weekend on 01 and 02 August 2026.
In a statement on Friday, Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, said all Home Affairs offices will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 08:00 to 17:00 to ensure that eligible citizens can access the services they need to register to vote.
According to the department, more than 360 000 identity documents are currently awaiting collection at Home Affairs offices nationwide.
Schreiber urged citizens whose documents are ready to collect them, including those who still need a Smart ID card to visit their nearest Home Affairs office during the extended operating hours.
A valid identity document is required to register to vote.
"The right to vote is one of the cornerstones of our constitutional democracy. By extending operating hours this weekend, Home Affairs is making it easier for every eligible South African to obtain the identity documents they need to register to vote.
“I encourage everyone whose identity document is ready for collection, or who still needs to apply for a Smart ID card, to make use of the extended operating hours this weekend," Schreiber said. – SAnews.gov.za
