Published Thursday, 29 October, 10:30 a.m. ET · Source: Independent Electoral Commission, South African government
Key Facts
- What happened: South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) opened its national results centre in Midrand on 28 October.
- Voting days: Special voting is 2–3 November; ordinary voting is Wednesday, 4 November, 07:00–21:00 SAST (00:00–14:00 EST).
- Scale: About 29 million people are registered, and about 2.655 million special-vote applications were approved, up 131% from 2021.
- Prediction markets: Polymarket (29 October, 10:24 a.m. ET): Helen Zille 57.5% to be Johannesburg’s next mayor.
The Results Centre Is Open
South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the body that runs the country’s elections, opened its National Results Operation Centre at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, between Johannesburg and Pretoria, on 28 October 2026. The centre will receive, verify and support the formal announcement of results.
Our South Africa local elections coverage tracks each step.It is part of the final preparations for the 4 November local-government elections, the vote for city and town councils.
The launch is the clearest new step in the last week before voting.
Final Week Timetable
Special voting, for people who cannot vote on election day, runs Monday and Tuesday, 2–3 November, from 08:00 to 17:00 South Africa Standard Time (SAST, two hours ahead of UTC). Ordinary voting follows on Wednesday, 4 November, from 07:00 to 21:00 SAST.
The IEC approved about 2.655 million special-vote applications, a 131% rise on the comparable 2021 figure of 1.148 million. It expects more than 600,000 home visits, about 80% of them to voters older than 60.
About 29 million people are registered to vote. The IEC earlier reported 23,696 voting stations, including 22,659 permanent ones.
What Is at Stake in the Vote
Voters elect municipal councils nationwide, in the first countrywide local vote since 2021. The result decides who runs cities and towns and which parties must bargain over coalitions.
Voters may cast a ballot only at the station where they registered. By mid-October the IEC had printed more than 66% of about 79 million ballot papers.
Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, the minister for local government, proclaimed the date on 7 August under the Municipal Structures Act, the law governing municipal elections. The proclamation set an 89-day election timetable.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket, an online prediction-market exchange, lists mayoral races in major South African cities, and these prices are wagers, not polls. As of 29 October, 10:24 a.m. ET, traders gave Helen Zille, a mayoral contender, 57.5% to win Johannesburg, with David Makhura at 16.4% and Herman Mashaba at 7.7%; about US$135,000 has been traded on that market.
In Cape Town, Polymarket gave Geordin Hill-Lewis 95.8%, on about US$11,700 traded. Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely.
We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What To Watch
The next confirmed step is special voting on 2–3 November, then ordinary voting on 4 November. The IEC’s results operation will run from Midrand, and early media projections are not official results.
What It Means for US Readers
South Africa is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) from 2 November, when American clocks have gone back. Ordinary polls therefore close at about 2:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, 4 November, and special voting runs from 1:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. EST on 2–3 November.
For American investors and expatriates, the councils elected will shape service delivery and coalition stability in Johannesburg and other major cities. Certified results come from the IEC.
What Is Not Known
The final split of seats and the number of councils needing coalition deals will not be known until votes are counted and certified. We found no named-institute opinion poll for the local vote.
We found no court ruling, postponement request or change to the 4 November date. The time of the IEC’s first national results announcement has not been stated.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are South Africa’s local elections?
Special voting runs 2–3 November 2026, 08:00 to 17:00 SAST. Ordinary voting is Wednesday, 4 November 2026, from 07:00 to 21:00 SAST.
Where will results be processed?
The IEC’s National Results Operation Centre at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand. It opened on 28 October 2026 to receive and verify results.
How many people can vote?
About 29 million people are registered. The IEC approved about 2.655 million special-vote applications, up 131% on 2021.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief