The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is aiming to announce the final results of the 2026 Local Government Elections by the weekend.
Approximately 14.5 million voters had cast their ballots by the time voting stations closed at 9pm on Wednesday.
The figure includes an estimated 13 million people who voted on election day, as well as 1.5 million special votes.
IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says announcing the results by the weekend would provide certainty and allow municipalities to begin preparations for their first council meetings.
He says the timeline would also give political parties an opportunity to begin coalition negotiations in municipalities where no single party secures an outright majority.