LGE2026: IEC investigates torn ballots as election-results counting continues

IEC counting progresses despite violence and disruptions at voting stations

While counting by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is generally proceeding well, isolated incidents have hampered the process elsewhere in the country.

The Commission reported in the Northern Cape, counting stalled after members of a political party stormed a voting station and tore at least 100 ballots that had been laid out for counting.

IEC deputy CEO Masego Sheburi said the violent incident in the Northern Cape is being investigated and is receiving the Commission's attention, and the Commission is considering what consequences should follow.

In Mpumalanga, he said, IEC staff at one voting station had to move to a safe facility to count.

Sheburi was addressing the media at the National Results Operations Centre in Midrand, where IEC updated on the counting process across all provinces.

Commission chairperson Mosotho Moepya expressed satisfaction with the capturing and verification of election results, saying they are progressing steadily across the country. 

LGE 2026: IEC investigates torn ballots as election-results counting continues

“The Commission salutes the thousands of men and women who are pulling all the stops to ensure the finalisation of the capturing and auditing of results,” he said.

According to him, the Commission anticipates to conclude the results collation process by the weekend.

The Commission also cautioned that over 60% of the 66,073 results captured by 5pm on Thursday remain provisional until the finalisation of objections material  to an election.

Moepya reported that about 40, 202 results slips have been scanned, while 32,238 have undergone independent auditing as part of the verification and quality assurance processes.

“These measures are aimed at ensuring the accuracy, transparency and integrity of the results before they are finalised,” he said.

He said provincially the capture rate in the Northern Cape is at 87% of results captured, followed by the Western Cape at 69%, the Eastern Cape at 60% and the Free State at 64%. 

On the other hand, Mpumalanga has captured 52%, while KwaZulu-Natal  is at 37%, North West and Gauteng both at 35%, while Limpopo stands at 23%.

The IEC reported that at a municipal level a total of 65 of the 213 municipalities (31%) across the country have completed the capturing, scanning, auditing and exception process.

 Moepya said: “The Commission would like to caution that these figures remain provisional until the finalisation of objections material to an election.”

He stressed that the Commission remains committed to finalising the results as expeditiously as possible, while ensuring that all prescribed verification and quality assurance processes are rigorously followed to safeguard the accuracy, transparency and integrity of the results. 

He urged political parties, independent candidates, the media and members of the public to exercise caution when interpreting partial results and to rely on officially verified results published by the Commission. 

He further highlighted that one of the innovations going into the 2026 Local Government Elections has been the enhancement of the Issue Tracker. 

“This is a mechanism for contestants and electoral staff to report all issues that could impair the election process. The Commission has launched the newly enhanced Issue Tracker which is now a component of the Virtual ROC. The Virtual Roc is a platform for remote access to the electoral operational systems), and the 10 Results Operations Centres,” he said.

He added that the Issue Tracker system efficiently resolved over 1,000 cases logged on since the commencement of special votes. 

“The Commission reiterates its call for all stakeholders to continue to observe election regulations pertaining to the results processing phase and avoid issuing disinformation about the results,” Moepya said.