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Tshwane voters in party shirts allegedly turned away at polls

Published

Ongoing: Elections Hot

Voters told journalists they were sent away from Tshwane voting stations for wearing party regalia during the local government elections on Wednesday. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) denied this and said only the entourages of mayoral candidates were barred.

Moses, an IEC regional manager, said ordinary voters in party T-shirts were allowed to vote. He said only the group travelling with Omphile Maotwe, the EFF Tshwane mayoral candidate, was stopped from entering a station. The DA and EFF said ordinary residents may wear party colours when they vote. They said only party agents may not wear regalia inside polling stations.

The DA and the EFF also complained that presiding officers restricted journalists who covered their mayoral candidates. The parties named the His Sanctuary Ministry voting station in Montana, Ward 5. They called the treatment of the media an overreach of authority. Maotwe said the IEC must address the matter and that the presiding officers at that station should be removed.

Masego Sheburi, the IEC deputy chief electoral officer for electoral operations, said the problem was resolved. He said the IEC reminded voting stations that the media may conduct interviews without permission from presiding officers. He said journalists need no separate accreditation.

Key facts

Who
Cilliers Brink (DA mayoral candidate for Tshwane); Omphile Maotwe (EFF treasurer-general and Tshwane mayoral candidate); Nasiphi Moya (Tshwane Mayor); Moses (IEC regional manager (identified only by first name))
When
4 November 2026
Where
Tshwane, Laspossie Kleuterskool, Ward 85, His Sanctuary Ministry voting station, Montana, Ward 5
Status
Reported

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Voting in the 2026 Local Government Elections is under way at 23,696 stations, and the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) reported a smooth start on 4 November. Stations opened at 7am and close at 9pm, and by 10am preliminary figures showed 3,523,691 voters had cast ballots.

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