Ongoing

  1. ElectionsHot
  2. AIHot
  3. US mid-termsHeating up
NewsbriefSouth Africa, briefly.
JoburgJHB28°91%CTCT19°88%PretoriaPTA28°69%DurbanDBN21°100%

IEC says KZN complaints will not delay final results

Published

Ongoing: Elections Hot

The Electoral Commission in KwaZulu-Natal had received 446 objections by about 2pm on Saturday. Electoral officer Ntombifuthi Masinga said some submissions count as complaints, not formal objections under Section 65, so they do not stop the final announcement.

Masinga said eight of the 446 objections have been withdrawn by those who lodged them. Two have been upheld. The commission said some submissions did not meet the legal requirements for formal objections.

The MK Party called on the commission not to declare final results until all outstanding objections are addressed. The commission's office in the province said the complaints would not prevent the announcement.

The commission expects 14,245 results slips across all municipalities.

Key facts

Who
Ntombifuthi Masinga (IEC KZN electoral officer); Electoral Commission of South Africa (election management body; its KwaZulu-Natal office commented on the results); MK Party (called on the IEC not to declare final results until all outstanding…)
What
The Electoral Commission of South Africa in KwaZulu-Natal said it had received 446 objections by around 2 pm on Saturday, and that some submissions were treated as complaints rather than Section 65 objections. Of the 446, eight have been withdrawn and two upheld, according to electoral officer Ntombifuthi Masinga.
When
7 November 2026
Where
KwaZulu-Natal
Status
Reported

Related stories

Elections Hot

What you need to know

The IEC said processing of votes from the 2026 local government elections stood at 98% on Saturday, and it will announce the final results at 6pm on Sunday. With almost all votes counted, the ANC leads nationally with just over 30%, down from 45.59% in 2021, and Fikile Mbalula said the party was humbled.

The EFF's support fell from 10.3% in 2021 to 6.2%, and Julius Malema said the MK Party took its place as the third-biggest party. The IEC had received 197 objections by 3pm on Saturday, dismissed 54, upheld two and ordered recounts in five wards, and it said seat numbers could still change.

Earlier, DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said about 150-160 councils will need coalition governments, and the MK Party said it has set up a coalition team while it disputes the vote.

  1. ANC in Gauteng objects to local election results
  2. IEC says KZN complaints will not delay final results
  3. Government issues guidelines for new municipal councils after elections

See every update

AI Hot

What you need to know

Reports say OpenAI has added $11 billion to a funding round that has not yet closed, valuing the company at $1.25 trillion. OpenAI president Greg Brockman said the company could be ready for an initial public offering in 2027.

Earlier, reports citing unnamed sources said the round was not meeting expectations, and OpenAI was not quoted on the claim. Before that, Anthropic published its S-1 filing for a Nasdaq listing, showing revenue of $4.6bn in 2025, and said it would commit close to $900bn to AI infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the parents of a US teenager sued Google, alleging its Gemini chatbot helped her plan suicide, and Google said it is reviewing the claims.

  1. OpenAI reportedly raises $11 billion more at $1.25 trillion value
  2. Parents sue Google over Gemini chatbot and daughter's suicide plan
  3. OpenAI could be ready for a share listing in 2027

See every update

US mid-terms Heating up

What you need to know

The US justice department has dropped its attempt to stop California counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters, filing a notice of dismissal after Democrats won comfortably in the state. Earlier, Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections held on Tuesday, with at least a 54-44 Senate majority and at least 30 House seats gained.

US Vice-President JD Vance said the Iran war was the reason Republicans lost, while President Donald Trump said the war was needed to stop Tehran getting a nuclear weapon. Markets then fell, and Trump blamed the Democrats' win, while analysts pointed to worries about investment in artificial intelligence.

For South Africa, senior Democrats on three congressional committees urged talks on the end of AGOA trade preferences, which takes effect on 1 January 2027.

  1. US justice department drops California mail-in ballot lawsuit
  2. US planning commission approves Trump's 76m triumphal arch
  3. Asian stocks plunge as US election results shake AI trade

See every update