South African voters arriving by 21:00 will be allowed to vote — TimesLIVE

In South Africa, voters who arrive at their registered polling stations by 21:00 will be able to cast their ballots even if the procedure continues after the official closing time. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) stated this, TimesLIVE reports.

Voting will continue for those already in line

IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo urged citizens who have not yet voted not to delay their visit to the polling station. According to him, voters who join the queue by 21:00 will not be sent home, even if the voting procedure ends later.

As of 17:00, 12 million people had voted in the country during the 2026 local elections. The largest number of voters was recorded in Gauteng province — 3 million. In KwaZulu-Natal, 2.5 million people voted; in the Western Cape — 1.5 million; and in the Eastern Cape — 1.4 million.

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Preparations for the count

Mamabolo said that voting had generally proceeded well despite several isolated incidents. The commission also prepared generators and alternative lighting for polling stations in areas with power supply disruptions to avoid obstacles during the vote count.

According to the IEC, the counting of results at each polling station will begin shortly after its official closure.