South Africa steps up security for municipal elections

South Africa’s government has heightened security as local government elections are taking place amid heightened social tensions.

Law enforcement agencies are on high alert, and comprehensive security measures have been put in place to protect voters and safeguard the electoral process.

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), which coordinates the country’s security and law enforcement operations, said it had activated nationwide security measures, deployed personnel and resources and put contingency plans in place to address potential threats to the elections.

“Our state of readiness remains at the highest operational level,” Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, co-chairperson of NATJOINTS, said at a media briefing on Tuesday evening.

She added that law enforcement agencies were prepared to respond swiftly to any emerging threats to protect voters and safeguard the integrity of the elections.

According to her, the security deployment was not intended to restrict citizens’ constitutional and democratic rights, but to ensure that eligible voters could cast their ballots safely without intimidation or disruption.

The heightened security measures came amid a series of election-related incidents during the special voting period on Monday and Tuesday.

According to NATJOINTS, police recorded 21 cases during the two days, including murder, theft of election materials, arson, intimidation and the defacing or removal of campaign materials. Six suspects were arrested, while five cases had been brought before the courts.

The South African Police Service, the South African National Defence Force and other security agencies have been placed on standby, with joint operational structures activated across all nine provinces to monitor developments and coordinate responses.

Mosikili called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint, warning that campaigning, political persuasion and voter solicitation would not be permitted on Election Day.

During the two-day special voting period, a total of 1,425,942 voters cast their ballots, including 974,852 at voting stations and 451,090 through home visits.

Polling stations opened nationwide at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) on Wednesday, marking the start of voting in the country’s 2026 Local Government Elections.

Approximately 29.2 million registered voters are eligible to participate in Wednesday’s elections, with 23,696 voting stations operating nationwide from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. More than 188,000 electoral officials have been deployed to administer the process.

South Africa’s Electoral Commission (IEC) said it was ready to oversee the nationwide polls.

IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya urged voters, political parties, independent candidates, election observers and other stakeholders to respect the electoral process and contribute to a peaceful Election Day.

He added that the commission remained committed to ensuring that every eligible voter could cast a ballot in a free, fair, credible and peaceful process.

The elections will determine the composition of municipal councils across the country, which are responsible for delivering essential services such as water, electricity, sanitation and waste management.

The polls are taking place amid growing public scrutiny of municipal performance, as communities demand more reliable basic services, improved infrastructure and greater accountability from local authorities.

Johannesburg, the country’s economic hub, is one of the key battlegrounds.

Persistent water and electricity supply problems, deteriorating infrastructure and political instability within the municipal coalition have made service delivery and local governance central issues in the election campaign.