By Bulelwa Hoala
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially declared Wednesday, 4 November 2026, a public holiday as South Africa heads to the Local Government Elections.
- The declaration follows the official gazetting and proclamation of 4 November as the election date by Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa in August, according to IOL.
- The public holiday will give eligible voters an opportunity to participate in the elections, which will determine who represents communities at municipal level.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially declared 4 November 2026 a public holiday across the country.
The declaration was made in terms of Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act, 1994 (Act No. 36 of 1994), in connection with the upcoming local government elections.
According to IOL, the declaration follows the official gazetting and proclamation of 4 November as the election date by Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa in August.
The proclamation reads:
“In terms of Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act, 1994 (Act No. 36 of 1994), I hereby declare the Fourth day of November 2026 as a public holiday throughout the Republic in connection with the holding of local government elections.”
Click here to see the signed proclamation.
Why 4 November is a public holiday
The public holiday will give eligible voters an opportunity to participate in the Local Government Elections without the usual workday commitments.
The elections will determine who represents communities at local government level, with voters choosing councillors who will be responsible for decisions affecting their municipalities and communities.
When are the Local Government Elections?
The 2026 Local Government Elections will take place on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
With Election Day now confirmed as a public holiday, voters are encouraged to make sure they know where they are registered to vote and understand what to expect when they head to the voting station.
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