The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says preparations for South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections are underway, with candidate registration activity already beginning through its Online Candidate Nomination System. The IEC reports that 76 political parties and 39 independent candidates have started using the system as part of the nomination process. The IEC’s statement indicates that the online platform is being used ahead of the election to capture and submit candidate information for those participating in the local government vote. The commission’s update reflects the early stage of candidate readiness and the ramp-up period for parties and independents ahead of formal nomination deadlines and subsequent election procedures. No additional details are provided in the available report on the nomination timetable, the total number of candidates submitted, or how many candidates each party or independent has put forward. The IEC’s notification focuses on the number of participating political parties and independents that have begun using the online nomination system.