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NewsbriefSouth Africa, briefly.
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About 12 million South Africans vote in local elections by 5pm

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Ongoing: Elections Hot

The Electoral Commission of South Africa said roughly 41% of the 29.2 million registered voters had voted by 5pm on 4 November. Turnout looked low in parts of Nelson Mandela Bay, where a deputy mayor blamed the timing of the poll.

The commission said 3.5 million ballots were cast by 10am. Gauteng had 3 million votes, or 44%, and KwaZulu-Natal had 2.5 million, or 42%. Earlier, 1.4 million special votes were cast on 2 and 3 November.

Gary van Niekerk, the National Alliance Deputy Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, called the turnout a damp squib, especially in the north of the metro. He said holding an election early in the month was a bad idea, because it fell on the day social grants are paid. He also said voters in the north seemed to be using the day off work for other things.

Van Niekerk said turnout was so small that fewer than 1,000 votes might be enough to win a single seat. At Fairplaas Community Hall in Ward 28, scenes were lively. Vusimzi Dasi, the UDM ward candidate, said the party was back and its presence was felt in the ward.

Key facts

Who
Electoral Commission of South Africa (reported voter registration and turnout figures for the local government…); Vusimzi Dasi (UDM ward candidate in Nelson Mandela Bay Ward 28); Gary van Niekerk (National Alliance Deputy Mayor (Nelson Mandela Bay)); Mongameli Bobani (late UDM leader)
When
4 November 2026
Where
Nelson Mandela Bay, Bethelsdorp, Summerstrand
Status
Reported

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