The Electoral Commission has urged all South Africans to participate in the ongoing public consultations on the feasibility of introducing electronic voting (e-voting) at some point in the future.
The commission says public consultations are currently taking place across all provinces to ensure inclusive and wide-reaching engagement on the policy document.
“We invite South Africans to submit their views, proposals and concerns on this important matter. Submissions should be sent to the e-mail address evoting@elections.org.za by no later than the end of September 2025,” said the Electoral Commission’s chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo.
He noted that following the conclusion of the consultation process, the commission would integrate the comments into the discussion document to produce a green paper.
The green paper will then be presented to the home affairs minister to process through the relevant constitutional structures.
Mamabolo said it is important to note the commission has not yet decided on adopting e-voting.
“The current physical ballot papers will be used in the impending municipal elections, as there is no official national policy and legislative framework on e-voting.”
He pointed out that since the 2024 general elections, the commission had registered a total of 34 new political parties. Thirteen of the new parties were registered in the period between July 2025 and today.
To date, the total number of registered political parties stands at 472.
“Of these, 287 are registered on a national level, while the balance of 185 are either registered provincially or on the district or metro municipal level.”
He said political contestants remain critical in the planning phase.
“The commission will convene a series of information sessions starting in November 2025 with registered but unrepresented political parties and aspiring independent candidates in preparation for the upcoming elections. The sessions in November will mark the beginning of formal consultations with key stakeholders.”
Mamabolo also called on corporate South Africa to donate to the Multi-Party Democracy Fund (MPDF).
“Supporting the MPDF helps to foster a vibrant democracy and amplify diverse political voices. The Electoral Commission is in the process of preparing a report highlighting key recommendations for consideration by Parliament.”
Mamabolo said the commission had acknowledged the recent amendment to the regulations on political party funding in South Africa.
“The revised regulations were promulgated by the president on 18 August. Under the revised rules, the minimum disclosure threshold has increased from R100 000 to R200 000, while the maximum allowable annual donation has risen from R15 million to R30 million in a financial year.”
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