South Africa announces second voter registration weekend

South Africa’s Electoral Commission has announced a second voter registration weekend for August 1 and 2, following a successful first registration drive that saw nearly three million transactions recorded. The commission reported a significant surge in participation, particularly among young people, ahead of the local government elections scheduled for November 4.

Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo announced the new registration dates on Monday, June 22, following the initial registration weekend held on June 20 and 21. The commission recorded 2.9 million registration transactions over those two days, a substantial increase from the 1.7 million recorded during the comparable registration period for the 2021 local elections.

Of the total transactions, 477,174 were first-time registrations, with 80 percent of those new voters falling within the 16 to 29 age group. Young people accounted for 785,078 of all registration activities, representing 27 percent of the total. Mamabolo said these figures demonstrate that youth-focused campaigns are resonating and counter the notion of youth apathy.

The national voters roll has grown to 28.5 million, up from 27.7 million in 2024. The...