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[FILE IMAGE]: IEC staff at work.
IEC Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo, has confirmed that 34 new political parties have registered since last year’s national and provincial elections, bringing the total to a staggering 472.
Yet only 18 parties currently hold seats in Parliament.
Mamabolo says the numbers reflect a growing appetite for political participation, as the country prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
Elections will take place anytime between November 2, 2026 and January 31, 2027.
The Electoral Commission briefed the media on its preparations, highlighting both logistical readiness and the democratic momentum building across the nation earlier today.
VIDEO | IEC briefing on state of readiness to stage 2026 Local Government Elections
IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Masego Shiburi, says the Electoral Commission will be proposing legislative amendments to the electoral act in order to better regulate objections that are made to the voters’ roll.
“As you know, ahead of an election, the commission makes available the voters’ roll to facilitate interested persons to raise objections against the inclusion or exclusion of certain persons from segments of the voters’ roll. So, that will be one amendment so that the commission will have powers to better deal with objections to the voters’ roll to make decisions on a factual basis as it relates to objections that may have been raised on the inclusion or exclusion of persons on the roll,” she says.
