IEC will hold by-elections in time to meet 22 November deadline.
Five ward by-elections will have to be held to finalise the 2026 Local Government Elections after parties won more seats than candidates and three councillors died before taking office.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said the by-elections are among several loose ends it is tying up following the November 4 vote.
Two by-elections will result from political parties re-designating ward councillors who won more than one ward seat.
The first is in KwaZulu-Natal, Ward 12 in Mkhambathini Local Municipality, involving an uMkhonto weSizwe Party candidate. The second is in the Free State, Ward 13 in Dihlabeng Municipality, involving an ANC candidate.
Three other ward by-elections follow the deaths of three ward councillors-elect:
Parties warned over short proportional representation lists
The IEC has warned parties that submitted fewer Proportional Representative (PR) candidates than seats won.
On November 9, the Commission wrote to affected parties and gave them until November 11, to submit names to make up the shortfall.
"This was not an opportunity to change lists or replace candidates," said the IEC.
Parties may only change the order of lists or replace candidates after the first sitting of councils, as prescribed in the Municipal Structures Act.
A party that fails to supplement its list risks forfeiting seats if the shortfall renders quorum impossible.
The IEC also had to notify parties where candidates stood to be assigned to more than one seat. Parties had until November 11 to elect which seat a candidate must take. If they fail to choose, the candidate's name must be deleted from the ward list.
The political analyst from the University of KZN School of Political Science said the IEC is carrying out its statutory duty by resolving cases where a candidate stands to be assigned to more than one seat.
"Voters are right to ask how the parties managed their nominations. If the same candidate appeared on multiple ward ballots because of an administrative error, that points to a lapse in checking nominations," Mnguni said.
Four wards decided by lot
Four ward contests ended in a dead heat and were decided by lot, as required by the Municipal Structures Act. Those include:
Thousands of seats and district councils next
There is a total of 10,526 seats in the 2026 polls — 8,825 local council seats (4,485 ward and 4,340 PR) and 1,701 district council seats (707 directly elected, 994 indirectly elected).
The published list of 9,532 declared councillors comprises the 8,825 local councillors plus 707 directly elected district councillors.
It excludes Siyancuma Municipality in the Northern Cape, where a revote in a voting district in Ward 3 has been ordered, with special voting set for 17 November.
The remaining 994 district seats will be filled by local councils electing representatives among themselves. The IEC will manage that process. Councils must hold their inaugural sittings within 14 days of the 8 November declaration.
Women and youth still missing in action
Women account for 33.6% of all declared councillors — 39.7% of PR councillors but only 26.8% of ward councillors.
The EFF by has the highest women representation at 46.2%, followed by PA at 43.0% and DA at 38.6%. IFP is lowest at 18.7%.
Councillors average 47.3 years. Only 3% are under 30, while 10.8% are under 35. The youngest councillor is 19 (EFF) and the oldest is 86 (IFP, uMlalazi). The EFF has the youngest caucus on average at 42.5 years.
Objections noted
The IEC said it received 1 708 purported objections by midday.
"Of those, 433 met the criteria for Section 65 objections. Some 252 have been finalised — three upheld and 249 rejected, involving 12 recounts, seven edit windows and a revote in the Northern Cape".
In 2021, only 218 Section 65 objections were received.
Valid objections must relate to voting, counting or obstruction at voting stations and include full details, relief sought and proof of service.
In Ngcobo, the Electoral Court has barred a candidate who impersonated IEC staff to access election material from holding office for five years. His accomplice was fined R100,000 and suspended for three years.
Mnguni said parties should nominate a different candidate for each ward and cross-check their nominations before submitting them.