By Xinhua
A total of 508 political parties are now registered in South Africa, marking the highest number in the country’s history.
According to the South African Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), 62 new political parties have been added since the 2024 national and provincial elections, before the upcoming local government elections in 2026.
“Fourteen of the new parties were registered in the period between August and October 2025. Currently, the total number of registered political parties is 508,” the IEC said in a statement.
“Of these, 295 are registered at a national level, while the balance of 404 are either registered provincially or at the district or metro municipal level,” it added. The IEC also noted that from January to September, more than 305,206 new voters were registered. South Africa is expected to hold its local government elections in November 2026. The official date for the elections is yet to be announced. The IEC said that it has finalized a schedule of countrywide information workshops for potential electoral contestants.
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Norman Mwale 
The Mount Kenya Times