LGE 2026 | Only 21% turnout recorded at major Durban CBD voting station

As the deadline for local government elections approaches, Durban CBD is experiencing a concerning lack of voter participation at major polling stations, sparking worries about voter disinterest. At the Steve Biko Campus station, affiliated with the Durban University of Technology, only 1,323 of the 6,280 registered voters had cast their ballots by late afternoon, equating to about 21 percent.

Over 4,900 voters remain unrepresented at this station alone. A spokesperson from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) disclosed that during special votes at the same location, only a fraction of the registered voters - 41 out of 78 - participated.

Earlier, at the Denis Hurley Centre station, another IEC official reported that by midday, just 400 out of roughly 2,900 registered voters had voted. "We are halfway through and not even 50 percent of the registered people have voted," the official lamented. This trend has been consistent across various stations in the inner city, including City Hall and other polling locations.

Officials have observed a sluggish morning, followed by a sluggish midday increase in turnout, with no significant surge as anticipated. The pattern appears to be widespread, with numerous stations reporting sparse voter turnout during peak hours.

While some officials express hope that a last-minute surge in voting, as workers leave their offices, could lift the turnout, there is growing concern that Durban might record one of its lowest historical voter turnouts in recent local elections. Voting is scheduled to continue until 9pm, after which the counting process will commence immediately following the closing of the polls.