How to contest municipal elections in South Africa

If you want to stand as a councillor in South Africa’s next municipal elections, you must follow strict nomination and deposit rules set by the Electoral Commission.

The Electoral Commission manages national, provincial and local elections. Municipal councils serve five-year terms. Once the election date is proclaimed, the IEC publishes a timetable with binding deadlines that all candidates must meet.

What is happening?

South Africa’s municipal elections allow voters to elect councillors to:

• Metropolitan municipalities (Category A)
• Local municipalities (Category B)
• District municipalities (Category C)

According to the IEC guidelines, independent candidates may contest ward elections only. Political parties may contest ward elections and proportional representation (PR) elections.

There are:

• 2 ballots in metropolitan municipalities
• 3 ballots in local municipalities

Candidates must meet constitutional eligibility requirements and submit the correct nomination forms and deposits before the deadline.

Why it matters to you

If you miss a document, signature or deposit payment, your nomination can be rejected.

Because deadlines are strict and published in the official election timetable, preparation must happen early.

This guide helps you:

• Understand which election you can contest
• Prepare the correct forms
• Pay the correct deposit
• Submit before the cut-off date

What you need to know

1. Who qualifies to stand?

You must:

• Be qualified to vote in that municipality
• Not be disqualified under the Constitution
• Not be serving certain state or municipal positions that disqualify you
• Not have a disqualifying criminal sentence

Full eligibility rules are set out in Section 158 of the Constitution and referenced in the IEC guidelines.

2. If you are a party candidate (PR list)

Political parties must submit:

• Nomination of Party List Candidates form
• Proof of deposit payment
• Written proof of authorisation

Each candidate must also complete:

• Acceptance of Nomination form (Appendix 4)
• Copy of ID (photo, name and ID number visible)

Only registered political parties may submit PR candidate lists.

3. If you are a party ward candidate

The party must submit:

• Nomination form for party ward candidates
• Proof of deposit payment

Each candidate must submit:

• Acceptance of Nomination form (Appendix 4)
• Copy of ID

4. If you are an independent ward candidate

You must submit:

• Nomination and Acceptance form (Appendix 6)
• 50 signatures from registered voters in that ward
• Copy of your ID
• A5 head-and-shoulders photograph
• Proof of deposit payment

The nominator must be registered in that municipality.

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5. How much is the election deposit?

Election Type	Deposit Amount
Metropolitan municipality	R3,500
Local council	R2,000
District council (PR only)	R1,000
Independent ward candidate	R1,000 per ward

Deposits must be paid by bank deposit, EFT or via the IEC’s online system.

Central payments are made at the IEC national office in Centurion using the official form (Appendix 24).

6. How to submit nominations

You can submit:

• Manually at your local IEC office
• Online via the Online Candidate Nomination System (OCNS)

You must apply for access before using the online system.

All submissions must meet the official election timetable deadline once published.

What you should do next

1. Confirm your eligibility.
2. Decide whether you are contesting as a party or independent candidate.
3. Download the correct appendix form.
4. Collect required signatures (if independent).
5. Prepare ID copies and photographs.
6. Pay the correct deposit.
7. Submit before the IEC deadline.

Do not wait for the final week, as incomplete submissions may be rejected.

Where to get help

Official IEC resources:

• Municipal election guidelines
• Central deposit form
• Acceptance of Nomination form
• Independent Ward Nomination form

Contact your local IEC office for municipality-specific support once the election timetable is published.