Johannesburg – The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has opened up voter registrations over the weekend across South Africa.
The Department of Home Affairs offices will open from 0800 to 1700 hrs nationwide, on June 20 to 21, 2026, a statement said, calling on citizens to visit their nearest Home Affairs office to either apply for a smart ID or collect a smart ID that is ready for collection.
South Africans heard to the polls in November for local government elections. 
South Africa has around 38 million eligible voters, with 28 million registered. It is an addition to the 27.7 million projected for the 2024 provincial elections. The number of listed political parties has now reached 550, and IEC workers are ready to lead voter registration activities this weekend. The IEC database presently includes 550 registered political parties.
The eNCA quoted Masego Sheburi, deputy chief electoral officer, as saying voter apathy is growing as South Africans, a majority being the youth, voice their disinterest over unmet promises.
“From the data at our disposal from surveys we have done over a number of times, one of the factors that militates against citizens participating is disillusionment. In their perspective, people feel that over time democracy has not yielded the dividends which they thought it would yield.
“We are making facilities for many South Africans to register on the voter roll with confidence.”
