President Ramaphosa announces date for 2026 local government elections

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the date for the 2026 local government elections in South Africa. The elections will take place on 4 November. Voter registration weekend is set for 20 and 21 June, with more than 200,000 new voters having registered online since November 2025. A report by the Election Reform Consultation Panel showed voter apathy was at an all-time high, with only 31% of voters believing the current system truly reflected the will of the voters. Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of addressing service delivery failures and stated that a new white paper on municipal governance was being finalised to aid in addressing the water crisis.