Nine in ten voters say the 2026 local elections were free and fair, but trust in the IEC is slipping

Nine in ten voters regarded South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections as free and 91% were satisfied they were fair, according to the Human Sciences Research Council’s Election Satisfaction Survey 2026, released on Friday at the National Results Operations Centre in Midrand.

The survey, conducted on behalf of the Electoral Commission of South Africa, assessed voters’ experiences and perceptions of the electoral process during the local government elections held on 4 November. HSRC researcher Dr Ben Roberts briefed the media on the findings.

Ballot secrecy drew the strongest confidence in the survey. Some 95% of voters said they were satisfied that their votes remained secret, a figure the HSRC described as consistent with previous elections. “Voter confidence in ballot secrecy remains exceptionally high and remarkably consistent over time. In 2026, 95% of voters were satisfied that their vote remained secret,” Roberts said.

A further 83% of voters said they were either completely or very confident that their votes would be accurately counted.

Behind those headline numbers, the survey recorded a steady erosion in trust in the Commission itself. Trust in the IEC stood at 81% in 2026, down from 85% in 2024, 89% in 2021, 93% in 2019 and 91% in 2016.

Some 5% of voters said they distrusted or strongly distrusted the Commission, while 14% were neutral, uncertain or declined to respond.

The provincial breakdown put the Eastern Cape highest at 87%, followed by the Northern Cape at 85%, the Free State at 84% and the Western Cape at 83%. Trust stood at 81% in Mpumalanga and 80% in Limpopo, while North West and Gauteng each recorded 79%. KwaZulu-Natal recorded the lowest level of trust at 72%.

Voters who expressed confidence in the IEC cited its perceived professionalism, competence, fairness and impartiality, accurate vote counting and its record of administering elections. Positive personal experiences with electoral officials and confidence in ballot secrecy also featured prominently. One respondent said: “I think the IEC has one of the most difficult jobs to do in this country and they do it well.” Others pointed to the Commission’s perceived political neutrality and the protection of the vote.

The 5% who expressed distrust cited perceived corruption and dishonesty, doubts about the accuracy of vote counting, political bias and past controversies. “On perceived corruption and dishonesty, allegations of corruption, bribery and fraudulent practices are prominent reasons for distrust. Concerns about vote counting and electoral results: respondents express doubts about whether votes are accurately counted, properly accounted for and reflected in the final results,” Roberts said. One respondent stated: “There is always corruption.”

The survey also highlighted concerns about information circulating in the news and on social media, with some respondents saying rumours and reports about previous electoral disputes had contributed to their mistrust.

The HSRC noted that positive experiences of the electoral process coexist with broader dissatisfaction with democracy and political institutions. The ESS is a representative survey of voters’ views and experiences on Election Day, and the HSRC has conducted it since 1999. Its findings are used as one of the measures to determine whether elections in South Africa are free and fair, and the results are read out as part of the official election declaration.

This report is based on SAnews (South African Government News Agency), which summarised the HSRC’s findings. The full survey report was not part of the material supplied. Source: https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/hsrc-survey-finds-voters-viewed-elections-free-and-fair