The Electoral Commission (IEC) has ordered a re-vote in Ward 3 Douglas, within the Siyancuma Municipality, following a chaotic disruption that resulted in the destruction of ballot papers during the counting process.
The incident occurred at Bongani Community Hall on the evening of Wednesday 04 November, when political activists allegedly stormed the voting station and interfered with the counting process.
The IEC has said that the new voting dates will be on the 14th, 17th and 18th of November 2026 at Bongani Community Hall.
The opening of the Special Votes Application will be on the 14th, while the Special Votes at Voting Stations and Home visits will be on the 17th from 08:00 till 17:00.
Hawks confirm arrests
The Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) confirmed that 11 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.
They face charges under the Municipal Electoral Act 27 of 2000, including malicious damage to state property (ballots, police riot shields, and the community hall door), assault, intimidation, and public violence.
Detailing the arrest, the Hawks spokesperson, Captain Tebogo Thebe, said 6 people were initially arrested, but one was released after they could not link him to the crime.
“On Sunday, police officers arrested another 6, bringing the total at this stage to 11 people,” said Thebe.
The suspects made their first appearance before Douglas Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 09 November, and the matter was postponed to Tuesday, 10 November, for a formal bail application.
The election date will be on 18 November.
Voting results
The order for a revote introduced an unexpected twist in the Northern Cape’s 2026 Local Government Elections, following the IEC’s official declaration of the provincial results on Sunday 5 November.
According to the IEC’s provincial results dashboard, the African National Congress(ANC) leads the provincial vote at 41.55%, followed by the DA with 21.73%, the EFF with 9.17%, while the Patriotic Alliance amassed 8.42%.
The ANC secured 25 of the 65 council seats in Sol Plaatje, which includes Kimberley – with eight of the 33 seats needed for an outright majority.
Coalition talks are expected to begin immediately after the ANC secured 25 of the 65 council seats in Sol Plaatje Municipality, falling eight seats short of the 33 required for an outright majority.
Government is prepared
The MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) in the Northern Cape, Lebogang Motlhaping, welcomed the IEC’s official declaration.
Motlhaping explained that the revote in Douglas was triggered in terms of section 10 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, which mandates a revote if ballot papers are lost, destroyed or unlawfully removed before votes are counted.
Despite the isolated incident, Motlhaping praised the overall election, noting that voters successfully exercised their constitutional rights across 735 voting stations spanning 26 municipalities.
With the broader results finalized, CoGHSTA is preparing to facilitate the constitution of newly elected municipal councils within the legally prescribed timeframe.
The department will provide technical and institutional support to municipal managers to safely convene inaugural meetings, swear in public representatives, and elect council leadership. Comprehensive induction programs covering municipal legislation and financial management will also be rolled out for new councillors.
“Our primary focus now is to move swiftly from the election period to governance and administration,” Motlhaping said. “The department stands fully prepared to guide all councils through their inaugural sittings so that councillors can get straight to work addressing the daily service delivery needs of our communities.”
The MEC concluded by calling on all newly elected councillors, municipal officials, and local stakeholders to collaborate in a spirit of accountability and transparent public service.
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