IEC CEO, Sy Mamabolo, says the commission remains hopeful that more young people will make use of the upcoming local government elections registration window in June.
Ahead of the voter registration weekend set for next month and the local government elections in November, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has commended young people across the country's institutions of higher learning for their enthusiasm.
On Wednesday, during the IEC's unveiling of the official 2026 Local Government Elections campaign at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo revealed that over 27.9 million South Africans are now eligible to vote, surpassing the 27.6 million from the 2024 national elections.
The IEC is hopeful that these numbers will rise during the upcoming voter registration weekend slated for June 20-21, with the surge attributed to young people's enthusiasm and the IEC's concerted voter education and other digital endeavors.
According to Mamabolo, the campaign has successfully reached 97,000 students through 1,086 activations across all nine provinces, resulting in 45,000 students registering to vote. "This reflects the campaign's significant impact in promoting youth participation in the electoral process."
