Elections Hot

McKenzie made the claims in a series of posts on X. He said other parties increasingly show willingness to work with the ANC. He said the EFF and the MK Party moved from refusing to join the Government of National Unity (GNU) to joining only if the DA and FF Plus stay out.

McKenzie accused the DA of alienating possible partners through its treatment of smaller parties during campaigns. He said the ANC was more accommodating. He named George, Saldanha Bay, Matzikama, Stellenbosch, the Cape Town metro and Swellendam as places where the DA will lose its majority.

He also said ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is irritated with the DA, and that Mbalula's criticism matches that of Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi. McKenzie wrote: "The DA will have no leverage left in a few days."Share

The briefing will take place at the National Results Operations Centre. The co-chairs of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) will also speak on the readiness of the security cluster. The special votes are set for 2 and 3 November.

The Electoral Commission approved 678 525 home visit applications for 2026. That is 171 118 (33.7%) more than the 507 407 approved in 2021. In 2021 the commission approved 1 147 759 special vote applications in all.

Online platforms received 2 426 066 of the applications. Staff captured another 171 214 manual applications at commission offices.

National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola said the South African Police Service is operationally ready to secure the elections. He said: "We have been planning for these elections for several months".Share

The committee issued its statement on Sunday, ahead of the Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026. It said: "no political contest is worth a single life lost and no political difference justifies violence, intimidation or the destruction of community relations".

Approved special votes will be cast on 2 and 3 November 2026. The Electoral Commission approved 2 655 067 special vote applications for these elections. That is a 131% increase on the 1 147 759 approved for the 2021 elections.

The South African Local Government Association urged registered voters to make the election a priority. The statement also highlighted coordination between the Electoral Commission and law enforcement.Share

The rally takes place in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape, outside Ku-Gompo City. Reports give the venue as the Sisa Dukashe Stadium, though one spelling reads Siza Dukashe.

Ramaphosa, who is the ANC president, said the party's message has resonated with the voters.Share

The party also plans provincial mini rallies at four sites to close its campaign. Locations named include Knysna in the Western Cape and Bethlehem in the Free State.

Buffalo City is one of two metros where the ANC currently holds a clear majority. One report said the party faces a real prospect of losing the metro. It said Ramaphosa is expected to urge the party's faithful supporters to come out in their numbers.Share

The weather service issued the outlook for voters in the 2026 Local Government Elections. It covers special voting days and Election Day. Areas named include the Northern Cape, North West, Limpopo, the Lowveld of Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern Drakensberg.

The weather service said parts of the country are likely to get below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures. It linked this to the developing El Niño weather pattern.

The weather service also gave advice to voters: "Voters are encouraged to plan their journeys accordingly, particularly in areas where afternoon thunderstorms are expected."Share

Motlanthe spoke on the sidelines of the Drakensberg Inclusive Growth Forum, which his foundation hosted. Asked about the removed members, he said: "The process, the procedures, the guidelines were very clear".

He also spoke about the candidate lists sent to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Motlanthe said 97% of constituency candidates were submitted as required. He said 181 names were uploaded on the IEC website without the final submit button being clicked. He said the ANC missed the chance to submit its lists and had to go through the Constitutional Court.

Motlanthe said parties should campaign all the time and not rely on costly last-minute mobilisation. At the forum he also said South Africa should invest revenue from its minerals in infrastructure, industrialisation and skills. He said the country should consider a sovereign wealth fund. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Trade Minister Parks Tau attended the three-day forum.Share

IFP Chief Whip Nhlanhla Hadebe said that if the disruptions continue, voters may struggle to reach polling stations. He also said fear and uncertainty could discourage people from taking part.

The party urged the authorities to resolve the long-standing dispute between taxi associations. Hadebe said: "This violence raises serious concerns about the ability of affected communities to exercise their democratic right to vote freely, safely, and without intimidation."Share

Ramaphosa, who is ANC president, said councillors must hold regular meetings. He said they must publish budgets, put the budget on the notice board, show audit outcomes and account for every cent.

He also spoke about how fast councillors must act. In his words: "They will have 100 days to show real progress on the issues that matter most in each municipality".Share

The party removed some disgruntled councillor candidates from its eThekwini list. This raised questions about unity. MK Party eThekwini regional chairperson Mkhanka Zuma said councillors lost their places through list manipulation because they took a stand to vote for the party.

Mkhanka Zuma said those councillors still plan to vote for the MK Party. He said the party stays confident about its prospects. He said: "I can confidently tell you that we are going to win a municipality between 60 and 72%."

The party contests 112 wards in the eThekwini metro. More than 70 political parties contest wards in the metro.Share

Malema claimed that criminal syndicates take over hijacked buildings and charge vulnerable residents rent. He said conversions would let workers live closer to their jobs and students stay near their campuses. He said that from the 5th of November, occupying a building in Johannesburg would be treated as criminal.

Malema said the EFF has been the most stable coalition partner in local government. He said the party opened a criminal case against the mayor of Tshwane and the City Manager over unsafe water in Bronkorstspruit.

He accused municipal officials and councillors of corruption and tender manipulation that undermine services. He claimed jobs go to people with political connections and that some councillors demand sexual favours for work. He also said some officials delay or cancel projects to protect corrupt interests and secure kickbacks.

He said: "The collapse of our municipalities is not an accident. It is a business model."Share

The video was Zuma's first public statement since he left hospital. The MK Party posted it on its social media platforms. Zuma urged registered voters to back uMkhonto weSizwe.

Zuma said: "I am wishing that everyone will vote and vote correctly, but more than anything, vote for uMkhonto weSizwe." He also said his new political home is the only one that can bring change.

Several election polls say the MK Party is likely to become the biggest political organisation in eThekwini after the elections.Share

Provincial Electoral Officer Bonolo Modise said all material needed for a successful election has been delivered to the offices of the municipal electoral officers (MEO). The Electoral Commission says the final dispatch is meant to ensure smooth voting.

Modise said the commission has prepared as far as it can. In his words: "We have done what’s reasonably possible to make sure that we are ready for elections on the 4th of November."Share

Hill-Lewis told supporters that the DA is a party for all South Africans. He said it stays committed to serving every community across the country.

He rejected claims by critics that the party serves only one racial group. In his words: "There are those who say the DA is only for one race. Do not believe them. They are liars."Share

Zille said voters who stay at home would help the people she blames for the city's problems. She said they would give criminals another five years to loot, and that Johannesburg cannot afford another five years of failure.

She also used a direct appeal to voters at the rally. Zille said: "if you stay at home on election, you won't be punishing Amasela [criminals], you will be rewarding them."

South Africans vote next Wednesday. Special votes are expected on Monday and Tuesday.Share

Malatsi said the DA expects to be the largest party in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. He said that if the party gets closer to 40 per cent, it will be in the strongest position to form coalitions with fewer parties.

On coalitions, Malatsi said: "There is nothing as unstable as a multi-party coalition. So, the fewer coalition parties, the better".

The DA said the elections are mainly about restoring basic service delivery. It listed reliable water, electricity, refuse removal and safer communities.Share

Motshekga briefed the Joint Defence Committee on Friday. She said protests in places like KwaZulu-Natal make it difficult for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to attend to the elections.

The SANDF has deployed 510 soldiers in KwaZulu-Natal to maintain law and order. Motshekga said this deployment could affect the election plan of the SANDF and divert its priorities.

Committee member Emma Powell also spoke at the briefing. Motshekga said Powell was right on the point about the most urgent matter, which involves Joint Operations.Share

SALGA said millions of voters are expected to go to the polls. It also told voters to monitor warnings from the South African Weather Service, given changing weather conditions.

The Department of Home Affairs is extending front-office hours so eligible voters can get identity documents. Offices will open from 8am to 6pm on 2 and 3 November. On Election Day, 4 November, they will open from 7am to 9pm.

The department said the extended hours let voters collect or apply for identity documents and Temporary Identity Certificates. Registered special voting takes place on 2 and 3 November, from 8am to 5pm.Share

The rally is called "Tshela Thupa" and takes place on 1 November, three days before the vote. It is the last big event of the party's campaign.

The party says the rally will deliver its "Victory or Death" message. It describes the message as a reference to the urgency for South Africans to change the fortunes of the country.Share

Zuma, who is 84, went to hospital on 6 October after he fell ill at an MK Party campaign event in Msinga. In the video he said only that he had been "somewhere". He did not explain his absence further.

The party said earlier that fatigue, found in a routine check-up, led to his admission. It said doctors recommended supervised rest and recuperation. Unnamed sources said he later went to a private location to recover further.

On 14 October his daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, posted videos of him exercising with dumbbells. President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that the surgeon-general of the SANDF was overseeing Zuma's treatment.

Polling data suggested the party could take about 13% of the overall vote in the municipal elections on Wednesday.Share