South Africa: Millions Voted and Now South Africa Waits for Results

What the report says

South Africa was awaiting local election results after millions of voters headed to the polls on Wednesday, 4 November, with counting beginning after voting stations closed at 9pm. According to Scrolla, distributed by AllAfrica, about 12 million people had voted by 5pm, and Gauteng recorded the highest turnout. The Electoral Commission of South Africa said anyone already in a queue before closing time was still allowed to vote.

The contest is being watched closely as a key test for the African National Congress, which lost its national majority in 2024 and is now trying to hold ground in municipalities across the country. Opposition parties are seeking control of local councils, while former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party is contesting its first local government election after making gains in KwaZulu-Natal in last year’s national vote.

The article said turnout varied by province, with strong numbers in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, but some stations in central Durban reported lighter participation. Officials also dealt with isolated problems, including heavy rain, protests, a reported theft of unused ballot papers and a voting stamp in eThekwini, and the death of an older woman who collapsed while waiting to vote in Durban. Final results are expected within seven days, and the outcome will shape control of 257 municipalities and more than 10,000 council seats for the next five years.