The Electoral Commission of South Africa says preparations for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) in KwaZulu-Natal are well advanced, with significant progress made in staffing, training, and voter registration planning.
Addressing the media in Durban, following the conclusion of a week-long stakeholder engagement programme held in the province, the Commission reported that 9 268 of the 9 948 electoral staff positions have been filled, representing 93% of required capacity.
Recruitment for the remaining 680 posts is ongoing, while training programmes for appointed staff have already started to ensure full operational readiness ahead of the registration weekend, with a focus on efficiency, compliance, and service mindedness at voting stations.
“Following the handover of final wards to the Commission by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) in December 2025, the realignment of the voting district (VD) boundaries to the new ward boundaries commenced in January and has been concluded in 40 out of 44 municipalities.
A total of 424 out of 901 wards in the province were impacted by ward boundary changes, which affected 606 VD boundaries across the province,” the Commission reported.
The Commission added that the assessment of the impact of ward boundary changes on VD boundaries in the four outstanding municipalities will commence once the final wards are received from the MDB.
To address these changes, the Commission will roll out targeted communication and registration (TCR) from 9 to 11 May 2026 to assist affected voters in updating their registration details.
Voter education initiatives are also underway, including the School Democracy Focus Week running from 20 to 30 April, with 98 schools already reached to promote civic awareness among learners.
KwaZulu-Natal is expected to see a competitive electoral contest, with 15 political parties currently operational in the province out of 520 registered nationally.
The Commission has encouraged eligible voters to use its online self-service platform to register or update their details ahead of the elections.
A voter registration weekend is scheduled for 20–21 June, although online registration remains available at all times.
“In the upcoming elections, voters must ensure that they are registered where they live, as they will vote in the ward where they are registered,” the Commission said. – SAnews.gov.za
