Johannesburg: The Electoral Commission has called on all South Africans to actively participate in the ongoing public consultations concerning the potential introduction of electronic voting (e-voting) in the future. Public consultations are being held across all provinces to ensure widespread and inclusive engagement with the proposed policy.
According to South African Government News Agency, Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo emphasized the importance of public input, inviting citizens to submit their views, proposals, and concerns to the email address [email protected] by the end of September 2025. Following the consultation process, the commission plans to incorporate public feedback into a green paper, which will then be presented to the Minister of Home Affairs for further processing through constitutional structures.
Mamabolo clarified that the commission has not yet decided to adopt e-voting and confirmed that traditional physical ballot papers will be used in the upcoming municipal elections due to the absence of a national policy and legislative framework for e-voting.
Since the 2024 General Elections, the commission has registered 34 new political parties, with 13 of these registrations occurring between July 2025 and the present. The total number of registered political parties now stands at 472, with 287 registered nationally and the remaining 185 registered provincially or at district or metro municipal levels.
Political contestants are integral to the planning process. The commission will begin a series of information sessions in November 2025 with registered but unrepresented political parties and aspiring independent candidates as preparation for the forthcoming elections. These sessions will initiate formal consultations with key stakeholders.
Mamabolo also urged corporate South Africa to contribute to the Multi-Party Democracy Fund (MPDF) to support a vibrant democracy and diverse political representation. The Electoral Commission is preparing a report with key recommendations for Parliament’s consideration.
Acknowledging recent amendments to regulations on political party funding, Mamabolo noted that new rules promulgated by the President on August 18 have increased the minimum disclosure threshold for donations from R100,000 to R200,000, and the maximum allowable annual donation has risen from R15 million to R30 million per financial year.