LIVE: South Africa heads to polls amid coalition uncertainty and local government pressure

South Africa will hold its 2026 Local Government Elections on Wednesday, with over 29 million registered voters expected to participate. The elections come amid coalition uncertainty, concerns over election security, and allegations of corruption and patronage damaging public trust in local government. This marks the first local government polls under the Government of National Unity and Provincial Government of Unity in KwaZulu-Natal.

President Cyril Ramaphosa warned that violence and intimidation must not undermine the elections, emphasizing the opportunity for voters to reshape municipalities and demand better service delivery. An Ipsos Khayabus Pulse of the People survey found no single party commanding majority support nationally, with the ANC receiving 30% support, the DA 28%, the MK Party 12%, and the EFF 10%.

Security preparations have been intensified, with police investigating 20 murders involving political representatives, party members, and supporters during the election period and deploying thousands of officers to secure over 4,300 voting stations in KwaZulu-Natal. Concerns have also arisen regarding misinformation and possible intimidation, with the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change identifying 79 potentially harmful social media posts during a seven-day period.

The focus on voting day is on ensuring voters can safely cast their ballots, with logistical difficulties affecting the special voting process. Over 780,000 special votes were cast on the first day, despite delays at some voting stations. In Cape Town, more than 200 stations experienced delays linked to ballot paper shortages. The longer-term challenge will be whether the elected officials can restore confidence in municipalities and deliver essential services such as water, electricity, roads, and public facilities.