Ntshavheni says only citizens can vote as election day queues grow
Ongoing: Elections Hot
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said foreign nationals cannot vote in the 2026 Local Government Elections, after she voted in Faerie Glen, Pretoria. Long queues were reported at polling stations, and the government urged voters to stay patient.
Ntshavheni said only South Africans with South African identity documents can vote. She said foreign nationals live in the country on permits and visas and are not eligible. She urged people who lost their IDs to get temporary identification documents from Home Affairs offices.
She also urged voters to cast their ballots early and said it would be best if everyone voted by 9pm without an extension of hours. She said special votes on Monday and Tuesday went well, with a few incidents that Natjoints could manage. She told parties to show tolerance.
Voting began at 7am, and stations and Home Affairs offices close at 9pm. More than 29 million registered voters can vote at nearly 24,000 voting stations. Some voters in Joubert Park waited for hours and were then told to vote at other stations.
Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi warned that it is prohibited for a voter to photograph a marked ballot paper.
Key facts
- Who
- William Baloyi (Deputy government spokesperson); Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (Minister in the Presidency); Home Affairs (government department issuing temporary IDs); IEC (electoral body supported by the security cluster)
- What
- The government urged South Africans to remain patient as long queues and voting-day challenges were reported at polling stations, with voting underway since 7 am and polling stations open until 9 pm. Some Joubert Park voters were told to vote at different stations after waiting for hours, and Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi warned voters not to photograph marked ballots.
- When
- 4 November 2026
- Where
- South Africa, Johannesburg, Braamfontein
- Status
- Reported