Edition April 2026

As South Africa gears for the seventh Local Government Elections (LGE) – due between late 2026 and early 2027 – the question of the election date is far more than a diary entry.

Yet, as Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Chairperson Mosotho Moepya illustrates, selecting that date is a constitutional obligation layered with logistical, political and social complexity.

“The election period is going to be a very difficult period,” he tells the Public Sector Manager (PSM) magazine during a recent sit-down interview in his office at the Electoral House in Centurion, Pretoria. “In terms of the Constitution, the term of municipal councils is five years. On expiry of that term, there is a 90-day window period”.

That 90-day window is non-negotiable. The lesson was reinforced in 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We went to [the Constitutional] Court and said, ‘this was not an ideal period to hold elections; can we postpone?'"  The Constitutional Court was very clear... It said democracy requires regularity and regularity requires certainty – and 90 days provides that certainty”.

Complex process

For the coming LGE, that constitutional clock begins ticking on 2 November 2026, and runs until 30 January 2027. “Within that window lies a series of difficult trade-offs,”  Moepya reiterates. “2 November  falls squarely during the exam period in the republic,” Moepya notes. “It is one of the most important things in the calendar of the nation. A majority of voting stations are schools”.

Holding an election during matric and university examinations risks disrupting learners and institutions alike. But moving away from early November introduces fresh complications.

“If we miss the early part of that window period, December is a holiday period and the issue of voting where you live comes into the picture,” he says. “People migrate during Christmas and the early part of January – they go ‘home’. So, you are going to have displaced voters”.

University students are particularly vulnerable to being caught between addresses. “In December, where will they be? They would have registered to vote at university and they will be at home. They will be disadvantaged”.

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs will ultimately proclaim the election date, following consultation with the Commission. 

Determining the date

To avoid exams and holidays, the election may be pushed to late January – a move that carries its own political cost,  according to Moepya.

“You are forcing political parties and candidates to campaign through the festive period. It is a near impossible thing to do,” he says. 

The weight attached to the date decision, he adds, is amplified by the sheer complexity of local government elections.

The difference

“The national and provincial elections (NPE), which were held in 2024, were very different to the local government elections we will hold in 2026 or early 2027,” Moepya explains. 

Unlike the NPE, the LGE fragment into thousands of geographically distinct contests.

“Whereas in the NPE you are dealing with about 20 elections, in this upcoming election you are dealing with more than 

4 000 different kinds of elections – and they are very geographically specific. They are isolated to a ward, to a municipality and to a district council”, explains the Chairperson.

Each municipal ward carries two ballots – one for a ward councillor and one for proportional representation. Multiply that by more than 4 000 wards and the operational demands escalate dramatically.

More contestants 

Local elections are also typically more contested and, as such, they  “generally raise the most conflict,” he says. 

He offers a striking analogy. “When you have so many contestants – way above the positions selected – and only 884 win, these are two choirs. One is happy and singing. The choir with the unhappy people who do not win will drown out the people who win”.

When disappointment sets in, attention turns to the referee.

“The referee has to be squeaky clean. They have to stand in the open and explain how they got to this and that result – there is no malfeasance and it has all worked out as the law says it should”.

In 2024 alone, the IEC appeared in court more than 80 times. “When it is like that in NPE, one can expect it to be a little more in LGE. That notwithstanding, we prepare for the toughest challenges.”

Declining public confidence 

The logistical strain is unfolding against a backdrop of declining public confidence.

“The level of satisfaction South Africans have with democracy is the lowest we have had since 1994,” Moepya says. Only 49% of eligible voters say they are open to voting.

“It does not mean they will come on election day – it means they must be persuaded”.

Satisfaction with political parties has dropped to approximately 18%, and confidence in the IEC has declined from about 62% to 34%.

“Are these challenges insurmountable? No. But it needs leadership. We have to communicate the work we do much clearer and wider. We need to engage with political parties, civil and labour organisations, as well as citizens”.

Strengthening processes

He is candid about internal shortcomings, including the late withdrawal of voter management devices in parts of the 2024 elections.

“We disappointed ourselves,” he says. “The perception and the failure raised very serious concerns”.

At the same time, the commission is strengthening its technological infrastructure, including the self-registration portal. But digital progress is accompanied by risk. 

Mis-disinformation

“We have seen efforts of disinformation and misinformation trying to find root. Those who abuse technology for this purpose are also a big industry. 

I am challenging us to be vigilant and do better”.

Meanwhile, the IEC has announced that a national voter registration weekend will be held on 20 and 21 June 2026, to make it easier for citizens to register closer to where they live and encouraging broader participation in the electoral process.

The LGE elections come as the country marks 30 years since adopting the Constitution, which enshrines citizens’ rights to elect their leaders and hold them accountable.