South Africa launches campaign for 2026 local government elections

JOHANNESBURG, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) on Wednesday officially launched its national campaign for the 2026 local government elections, with voter registration set to begin next month ahead of the polls scheduled for Nov. 4.

The campaign was launched in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, marking the formal start of election activities for the municipal elections, which are expected to be closely contested in several major metropolitan municipalities.

Addressing the launch event, IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya said the campaign is part of the country's broader process of "democratic consolidation" and called on citizens, particularly first-time voters, to participate in the elections.

Since the 2016 local government elections, several major metropolitan municipalities have been governed through coalition arrangements after no single political party secured an outright majority. This trend is expected to continue in key metropolitan municipalities, including Tshwane, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay.

Preparations for the elections were at an advanced stage, with around 24,000 voting stations set to open during the voter registration weekend on June 20 and 21, following consultations with various stakeholders, Moepya added. Enditem