IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says young people dominated new registrations, accounting for 80% of first-time voters during the latest voter registration weekend.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says it recorded 2.9 million voter registration activities during the voter registration weekend, increasing the national voters’ roll to 28.5 million ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Addressing the media on Monday, IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said the strong turnout reflected South Africans' continued commitment to participating in the country's democratic processes.
"The Commission extends its sincere appreciation to South Africans across the country, who turned out in large numbers during the registration process. This participation reaffirms the nation's strong and enduring commitment to electoral participation," he said.
Mamabolo said the registration period had achieved two important objectives: growing the voters' roll and improving registration levels among young people.
