Special votes open with no queues in Mamelodi as 2.6 million South Africans vote early

Special voting is under way across South Africa ahead of Wednesday’s 2026 Local Government Elections, with 2 655 067 voters approved to cast ballots early, according to SAnews (South African Government News Agency).

At Balebogeng Primary School in Mamelodi, Pretoria, voters who applied for special votes described the process as smooth and efficient on day two, and urged young people to turn out in numbers on Wednesday.

Peter Mamahlodi, from Mamelodi East, said he applied because work would keep him away from his station on Election Day.

“I applied for the special vote because I am busy. I will be working on the 4th and I might not get a chance to come and vote, so I felt the need to apply for a special vote because I wanted my voice to be heard,” he said.

He said there were no queues at the station and the process was completed quickly. He wants the people elected to stimulate the economy and produce jobs for young people, pointing to the unemployment rate.

“I want to urge young people to come out in their numbers to vote on Wednesday. The future is in our hands,” Mamahlodi said. “They can’t just protest in the streets but refuse to vote and make a change.”

Petrus Mtshweni, 69, also from Mamelodi East, said he voted for a party he hopes will create employment for young people and increase grants for older citizens. He wants municipal leaders who keep children in school, look after the elderly and confront nyaope in communities.

“The voting process was really nice, and the officials were really helpful, especially to us the elderly,” he said.

Mtshweni appealed to young people to use the vote. “If they do not come out to vote, they are not doing any justice to their country and even to us the elderly.”

An IEC official at the station, identified by SAnews as Nomaqhala Madiseng, not her real name, said the process had run smoothly from the first day of special voting. She said there had been about 60 home visits and 83 voters registered to vote at the station, with more than 50 served at the station by the time she spoke.

“We have not experienced any challenges. We have everything that we need and we are able to assist the voters with the process as well,” she said. Voters who applied and cannot make it will still be allowed to vote with everyone else on Wednesday, she said.

Of the approved special voters nationally, 678 525 will cast ballots through home visits because of physical infirmity or disability, and 1 976 542 have been approved to vote at their registered stations. KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of approved home visits at 143 714, while Gauteng had the highest number of station-based special votes at 391 589. Gauteng also recorded the highest overall number of approved special voters at 480 721, followed by the Eastern Cape with 401 971 and KwaZulu-Natal with 348 971.

This report is drawn from the SAnews account of the second day of special voting, which summarises the process rather than reproducing the full electoral record. The source is SAnews (South African Government News Agency), https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/special-voters-make-their-voices-heard-ahead-election-day.