Police: no campaigning or protests allowed on election day

South Africans vote in the 2026 Local Government Elections today, 4 November, and police have made clear what is not allowed around voting stations. According to IOL, political parties and their supporters must not campaign, try to persuade voters, ask for support or intimidate anyone at or near a station.

Protests are also off the table for the day, the national security coordinating body NATJOINTS said.

What police said

NATJOINTS chairperson Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili briefed the media on Tuesday evening. She said the official campaigning period ended at midnight on Tuesday, as set out in the election timetable. “From tomorrow, no campaigning will be permitted,” she said.

She added that anyone who breaks the Municipal Electoral Act or any other relevant law will face consequences. Mosikili said police were not trying to stop people from using their constitutional rights. The aim, she said, was to let voters reach a station safely and vote without fear or disruption.

She said NATJOINTS and the provincial security structures were fully activated and monitoring conditions in every province, district and municipality. Security operations have been stepped up, with law enforcement on high alert to prevent violence, intimidation and disruption.

Readiness and special voting incidents

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said on Tuesday night that 23,696 voting stations would open, staffed by about 188,000 officials. There are 29.2 million registered voters.

The IEC described two days of special voting as a success, though problems did occur. These included arrests and stolen ballot boxes. In KwaZulu-Natal, a presiding officer was dismissed after allegedly being seen placing ballot papers in a vehicle with ANC branding.

Mosikili said six people had been arrested for election-related offences during special voting, and that five of those cases have already gone through the courts. The arrests were:

• Two suspects in Ngcobo, Eastern Cape, for allegedly posing as IEC officials.
• One suspect in Mmametlake, Mpumalanga, for allegedly destroying election material.
• One suspect in Pienaar, Mpumalanga, for malicious damage to property.
• One suspect in Christiana, North West, for allegedly photographing a marked ballot paper.

NATJOINTS said every incident reported to it was being dealt with.

What this means for voters

If you are voting today, you should not meet campaigners at the voting station, and nobody should pressure you on how to vote. Photographing your marked ballot paper is among the alleged offences police have arrested someone for, so keep your phone away while you vote. Anyone who experiences intimidation or sees suspicious behaviour can report it to police or IEC officials at the station.

This story is based on reporting by IOL.