The Electoral Commission will this weekend, Saturday, 31 January 2026 and Sunday, 01 February 2026 hold voter registration in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal ahead of the municipal by-elections scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 18 March 2026.
Voting stations will open from 08h00 to 17h00 to allow all eligible voters to register and for current voters to check their registration details and to provide/update address details where necessary.
The Electoral Commission reminds eligible voters to bring their identity document (ID) for registration, either a green barcoded ID book, a smartcard ID, or a valid Temporary ID Certificate. Eligible voters will be required to complete their physical home address on registration or provide sufficient particulars of their place of residence. Documented proof of address (e.g., a municipal account) is not required.
Voters may also check and update their details at their local (municipal) Electoral Commission (IEC) office on weekdays during office hours. Voters are reminded that it is a criminal offence to register and vote in a ward in which they are not ordinarily resident.
The by-elections will be held as follows:
Eastern Cape
• Ward 32 in the Buffalo City Municipality – BUF, the ward became vacant because of the councillor’s death.
Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
|
Voting District/Station Number
|
Voting Station Details
|
|
10770061
|
KAYSERS BEACH SOCIAL CLUB
|
|
10820292
|
DYAM DYAM COMMUNITY HALL
|
|
10820304
|
LILLY VALE DAYCARE CENTRE
|
|
10820326
|
ZIKHOVA COMMUNITY HALL
|
|
10820337
|
NGCAMAMA INTERMIDIATE SCHOOL
|
|
10820348
|
KIWANE PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
10820359
|
SANDILE PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
10820393
|
NCERA VILLAGE 5 COMMUNITY HALL
|
|
10820528
|
RHALA PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
10820539
|
WESLEYVILLE PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
10820540
|
JOJWENI PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
10820551
|
MHALA COMMUNITY HALL
|
|
10820618
|
ZWELIYANDILA HIGH SCHOOL
|
|
10820629
|
TSHOLOMNQA HIGH SCHOOL
|
|
10820764
|
TSABA PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
10820887
|
XHAMENI COMMUNITY HALL
|
|
10820977
|
PHOZI PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
10821057
|
GQALA PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
|
|
- Ward
07 in the Dr Beyers Naude Municipality – EC101,
the ward became vacant because of the resignation of councillor.
Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
|
Voting District/Station Number
|
Voting Station Details
|
|
10020025
|
LIBRARY HALL
|
|
10090099
|
ADENDORP TOWN HALL
|
|
10090134
|
GRAAFF- REINET PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
10320028
|
PLATDRIFT
|
|
100380035
|
VREDE HALL
|
- Ward
14 in the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Municipality – EC443, the
ward became vacant because of the councillor’s death.
Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
|
Voting District/Station Number
|
Voting Station Details
|
|
11750172
|
ELUTHULINI JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
|
|
11750576
|
MBONGWENI JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
|
|
11751038
|
MEJE PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
11751061
|
QADU SECONDARY SCHOOL
|
|
11751184
|
NGOJANE JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
|
|
11751487
|
MBONGWENI FREE METHODIST CHURCH
|
|
11751498
|
MBONGWENI TRIBAL AUTHORITY
|
|
11751500
|
MBUNGWA JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
|
|
11751960
|
EMKOLWENI TENT
|
|
11752084
|
LUPHONDWENI TENT
|
|
11752095
|
MGOMANZI JUNIOR PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
11752107
|
MPETSHENI TENT
|
KwaZulu Natal
- Ward
12 in the AbaQulusi Municipality – KZN263, the
ward became vacant because of the councillor’s resignation.
Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
|
Voting District/Station Number
|
Voting Station Details
|
|
43501272
|
KANDASPUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43501340
|
INGWENYANE PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43501362
|
BEMBASKOP COMBINED SCHOOL
|
|
43502329
|
KWA GWEBU COMMUNITY HALL
|
|
43503386
|
ISOLOMUZI SECONDARY SCHOOL
|
|
43504501
|
METZELFONTEIN COMBINED SCHOOL
|
|
43505063
|
MSHOMOLOZA AREA TENT
|
|
43505074
|
JIMANE CRECHE
|
|
43505366
|
BAPTIST CHURCH HEADQUARTERS
|
- Ward
07 in the Nongoma Municipality – KZN265,
the ward became vacant because of the resignation of councillor.
Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
|
Voting District/Station Number
|
Voting Station Details
|
|
43500787
|
WELA PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43500866
|
MANDLEZULU PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43502251
|
BONGOKUHLE HIGH SCHOOL
|
|
43503454
|
SIZWELBANTUPRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43503689
|
NTATAKUSA PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43503702
|
INTUTHUKO
PRIMARYSCHOOL
|
|
43504219
|
NGADUMBILI
PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43504444
|
KWA GWEBU
COMBINED SCHOOL
|
|
43505108
|
KANCANA
KANCANE CRECHE
|
- Ward
20 in the Nongoma Municipality – KZN265,
the ward became vacant because of the resignation of councillor.
Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
|
Voting District/Station Number
|
Voting Station Details
|
|
43500844
|
NQABAYEMBUBE HIGH SCHOOL
|
|
43500855
|
NGXONGWANE PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43502778
|
MANZIMAKHULU PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43503432
|
BUKHALINI PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
|
43503443
|
NKABANE PRIMARY SCHOOL
|
Voters wishing to apply to cast a special vote can apply online via the
IEC’s website, www.elections.org.za, between 02 March 2026 and 06 March 2026. Special voting will
take place at voting stations as well as through home visits on 17 March 2026
between 08h00 and 17h00.
Once voters have applied online, they will receive an SMS notifying them
of the outcome when their application has been processed. They can also check
the status of their special vote application on the IEC website. Voters can
also visit their local IEC office weekdays during office hours.
Voters can also apply for special votes via cell phone by SMSing their
identity number to 32249 (charged at R1). The SMS application facility is only
available for those applying to cast a special vote at their voting station and
NOT for home visits.
For more information on
these by-elections, contact your local (municipal) IEC office weekdays during
office hours. Contact details for all IEC offices are available on the IEC
website at www.elections.org.za under Contact Us.
ELECTION TIMETABLE FOR ALL MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTIONS CALLED ON OR BEFORE 06
FEBRUARY 2026 TO BE HELD ON 18 MARCH 2026
The
cut-off dates for the various electoral processes for these by-elections are as
follows:
|
06 February 2026
|
Notice calling the
by-election on or before, and opening of nomination of candidates
|
|
09 February 2026
|
Open inspection voters’
roll for objections
|
|
16 February 2026
|
Close inspection voters’
roll for objections
|
|
24 February 2026
|
Electoral Commission to
decide on objections to voters’ roll
|
|
25 February 2026
|
Certification of voters’
roll
|
|
25 February 2026 @17h00
|
Cut-off date and time
for submission of nomination of candidates
|
|
26 February 2026
|
Cut-off date to notify
party/independent nominator of non-compliance of outstanding candidate
documents
|
|
27 February 2026
|
Notices: List of and
particulars pertaining to voting stations and mobile voting stations
|
|
27 February 2026 @ 17h00
|
Cut-off date for
party/independent nominator to submit ID copy and/or signed Acceptance of
Nomination
|
|
02 March 2026
|
Compilation and
certification of lists of candidates contesting a ward
|
|
02 March 2026
|
Issue certificates to candidates
|
|
02 March 2026
|
Opening of applications
for special votes
|
|
06 March 2026
|
Closing of applications
for special votes
|
|
17 March 2026
|
Special votes at voting
stations and special vote home visits, 08h00 to 17h00
|
|
18 March 2026
|
By-election date
|
(Note: All deadlines are at 17h00 on the dates listed)
ISSUED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Ensuring free and fair elections
Centurion
For media queries: Please contact Kate Bapela on
082 600 6386
For media interviews: Please email requests to:
[email protected]
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