SOUTH AFRICA · LOCAL ELECTIONS
Key Facts
- —The country South Africa, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, holds local elections on Wednesday 4 November.
- —What happened Two days of special voting open on Monday 2 November, for voters who cannot vote on election day.
- —Who votes 2,655,067 approved voters: 678,525 by home visit and 1,976,542 at their own voting stations.
- —When Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 November, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. South African time (1 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET).
- —Why it matters City councils elect mayors, so the vote shapes who controls Johannesburg and other big cities.
- —Prediction markets Polymarket bettors give Helen Zille, the Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate, a 57% chance of winning Johannesburg (2 November, 2:36 a.m. ET).
South Africa special voting began on Monday 2 November, when 2,655,067 approved voters started casting their ballots two days before the national local elections. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) calls it a record, 131% more than the 1,147,759 approved in 2021.
The local elections on Wednesday 4 November decide who runs South Africa’s cities, including Johannesburg, its business capital. Our election guide explains what is at stake in the big cities.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
The IEC is the independent body that runs South African elections, and Sy Mamabolo is its Chief Electoral Officer, its top full-time official. A special vote lets a registered voter cast a ballot early, because they cannot reach their station or will be away from their ward.
The African National Congress (ANC) is the party of President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the Democratic Alliance (DA) is its main rival in the cities. Local elections choose councils, and councils then elect the mayors who run city services.
Who Can Vote Early
Only registered voters whose applications the IEC approved after the 12 October deadline can take part in South Africa special voting. The 2,655,067 approved voters fall into two groups.
A total of 1,976,542 voters will vote at the voting station where they are registered, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on either day. They must show a smart ID card, a green barcoded ID book or a temporary identity certificate, and cannot vote elsewhere.
How the Home Visits Work
Another 678,525 voters, who are ill, disabled or unable to travel, will be visited at home by election officials. The IEC says 74% of the applicants are women and 79.6% are aged 60 or over.
The IEC has deployed 127,000 electoral officials for South Africa special voting, and visiting teams may be accompanied by party agents and observers. Officials will not return to an address where the voter is absent, but those voters can still vote at their station on 4 November.
Where the Special Votes Are
Gauteng, the province around Johannesburg and Pretoria, has the most approved voters at 480,721, ahead of the Eastern Cape with 401,971 and KwaZulu-Natal with 348,971. Limpopo has 341,623, Mpumalanga 292,775 and the Western Cape 291,866.
KwaZulu-Natal, home of Durban, has the most home visits at 143,714. Among station voters, Gauteng leads with 391,589.
What Happens to the Ballots
South Africa special voting is not counted on 2 and 3 November, the IEC said. They stay sealed, are checked against the special-vote records, and are opened and counted together with the ballots cast on election day.
Party agents and accredited observers may watch the process and record the seals on the ballot containers. The commission also asked parties and communities not to obstruct home visit routes or intimidate voters or officials.
What Prediction Markets Say
On 2 November 2026 at 2:36 a.m. ET, Polymarket, a prediction market, priced Helen Zille of the Democratic Alliance (DA) at 57% for mayor. About US$137,000 was traded on all candidates, and these are bets, not polls.
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 It Means for US Readers
Voting on 4 November runs from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. South African time, which is midnight to 2 p.m. Eastern time. Early results could therefore arrive during the US afternoon on elections.org.za, the IEC website.
South Africa special voting is the first step in a vote that decides who runs Johannesburg, a commercial hub for investors and companies. Read our local elections guide for the contests to watch, and our guide to voter ID and office hours for the rules on election day.
What Is Not Known
The IEC has not said how many of the 2,655,067 approved voters will actually take part in South Africa special voting. It also has not said how many home visits will be missed in the first round.
The IEC warned of rain in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape, but it is not known whether weather will disrupt voting. Official results are expected only after the polls close on 4 November.
More: South Africa news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is South Africa special voting?
Special voting takes place on Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 November 2026, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. South African time. The main election day is Wednesday 4 November.
How many people can cast a special vote?
The IEC approved 2,655,067 special voters. Of these, 678,525 will be visited at home and 1,976,542 will vote at their registered voting stations.
Can a visitor to South Africa vote?
No. Only registered South African citizens with a valid identity document can vote, and only approved applicants can cast a special vote.
When are special votes counted?
Special votes are not counted on 2 and 3 November. They stay sealed and are counted with the ballots cast on election day, 4 November.
What if a home visit voter is not at home?
Officials will not return to the same address. The voter can still vote at their registered voting station on 4 November.
Sources: Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC): media release, Electoral Commission ready for successful Special Voting and Election Days 2 to 4 November 2026, 2 November 2026; Electoral Commission of South Africa: About special vote, 2 November 2026; Electoral Commission of South Africa: briefing on approved special votes, Pretoria, 14 October 2026.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error