IEC reports faster election results processing, with 18 municipalities concluded

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has reported progress in the counting and capturing of votes in the 2026 Local Government Elections, saying the process is moving at a faster pace than during the 2021 elections.

In an update released on Thursday morning, the commission confirmed that results from 18 municipalities, representing 7% of municipalities, had been concluded by 09:00.

The IEC said this marked an improvement compared with the 2021 Local Government Elections, when only seven municipalities had completed the process at the same time.

The improved pace comes despite longer ballot papers, an increased number of political contestants and higher voter participation.

The commission said that 66,073 results slips are expected from local municipalities, metropolitan municipalities and district council votes across the country's 23,696 voting stations.

By 09:00, approximately 23,444 results slips, representing 35.5% of the expected total, had been scanned into the results system.

A further 22,983 results slips, or 34.8%, had been captured, while 16,791, representing 25.4% of captured results, had undergone independent auditing.

The IEC explained that counting takes place at the voting station where ballots are cast to ensure every ballot paper is accounted for and recorded.

Following the count, results slips are completed in duplicate in the presence of political party agents, independent candidate agents and accredited observers.

Agents are permitted to record and photograph the results slips, while the commission also keeps images to assist contestants who may need to retrieve them.

The results slips are then transported in tamper-evident envelopes to the IEC's local capturing sites.

At these sites, the commission applies several quality assurance measures, including double-blind capturing, scanning and independent auditing of the entire population of results.

This means that the audit is not based on a sample, but all captured results are subjected to the process.

Automated checks are also used to identify possible anomalies, including excessive voter turnout and differences in the number of votes received by a political party at the same voting station.

Meanwhile, the IEC has appealed to political parties, independent candidates and their supporters to remain patient while counting and results capturing continue.

The commission has also cautioned political role-players against circulating unverified election results or disinformation, warning that this could create unnecessary tensions, incite violence and potentially result in injuries or damage to property.

The commission thanked millions of South Africans who responded to its call to participate in the elections.