MIDRAND, Sunday 8 November 2026 — The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has ordered a revote at a voting station in Siyancuma Local Municipality in the Northern Cape after ballot papers were destroyed before they could be counted during the 4 November local government elections.
IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya announced the decision on Sunday during the official declaration of the 2026 municipal election results at the National Results Operations Centre in Midrand.
The revote will take place at Jabulani Community Hall in Ward 3 of Siyancuma Municipality, following an incident in Douglas involving people whom the IEC described as political-party activists.
Ballot papers destroyed before counting
According to Moepya, the individuals entered the voting station and destroyed ballot papers before election officials could complete the count.
The IEC has not publicly identified the political party allegedly involved in the incident.
The commission said the destruction of ballots required a new vote at the affected voting district to protect the integrity of the election process.
The decision was taken under legislation allowing the commission to authorise a revote where ballot papers are lost, destroyed or unlawfully removed before votes have been counted.
IEC approaches Electoral Court and police
Moepya confirmed that the IEC had approached the Electoral Court in connection with the incident.
The commission has also registered a criminal case with the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The announcement did not establish whether any suspects had been arrested, charged or identified publicly.
No date for the revote was announced during the declaration ceremony.
Siyancuma faces unresolved ward vote
Siyancuma is among the Northern Cape municipalities where political parties will need to establish governing arrangements following the elections.
Provisional IEC-derived council allocations indicate that no party has secured an outright majority in the municipality.
The ANC leads with four of the municipality’s 13 council seats, followed by the Siyancuma Independent Forum with three, while the DA and EFF each have two.
Those allocations must be treated cautiously while the outstanding voting-station process is resolved.
National results declared despite revote
The IEC announced the national municipal election results on Sunday and declared the elections free and fair.
Moepya said all 213 municipal councils had been finalised and declared, while separately confirming the outstanding revote in Siyancuma.
The commission also indicated that electoral objections could continue to be adjudicated after the declaration in accordance with the applicable electoral legislation.
The IEC is expected to announce arrangements for the affected voting station, while the Electoral Court process and criminal investigation remain outstanding.
