Municipal Demarcation Board adds 20 new wards in KwaZulu-Natal ahead of 2026 elections
Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) adds more wards heading to the municipal elections
Image: IOL
THE Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) has added close to 20 new wards in KwaZulu-Natal heading into the local government elections next year.
The MDB said that for the 2026/2027 Local Government Elections (LGE), there has been a slight increase in the overall number of wards in the country, although there are variations from one province to another. Local government experts indicated that this change could mean there would be 40 new councillors across the province, including 20 proportional representation (PR) councillors and 20 ward councillors.
On December 10, the Board handed over the revised wards to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), following a successful ward delimitation process.
The MDB conducts ward delimitation every five years preceding the general elections of municipal councils. For example, the last general elections (LGE) were held in 2021, while the next one must be held between November 2, 2026 and January 31, 2027. In a statement, the MDB said,
“Although the ward delimitation process encountered several challenges along the way, including interruptions during some public meetings, the MDB, with the support of all its stakeholders, was able to complete the process. Importantly, it should be noted that the ward delimitation process has been concluded, and the process cannot be reopened at this stage.”
Currently, the MDB has concluded wards for all municipalities in the country except for municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal province: Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality, Alfred Duma Local Municipality, and eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality.
The MDB is prepared to conclude the wards for all municipalities, including the Mkhambathini Local Municipality, pending the resolution of two court matters affecting them. The board aims to finalise the ward allocations as soon as the court processes are concluded.
Speaking on the process, the organisation stated that over the years, there has been an increase in the number of voters, resulting in a proportional increase in the number of wards in municipalities. This, among other factors, results in a change in the configuration of wards in municipalities.
“Wards also change due to population dynamics in different areas, especially the inward and outward migration of registered voters from one area to another. In 2021, the MDB delimited 4,468 wards, and for 2026 (as things stand), the MDB will delimit 4,488 wards, a variation of twenty more wards, the majority of which are in KwaZulu-Natal.” It added that this is a marginal increase of 20 additional wards between 2021 and 2026, the majority of which are found in KZN. In 2016, there were 870 wards, in 2021 there were 901, and in 2026 there will be 921 in the province.
Now that the wards are configured, community members are encouraged to familiarise themselves with their newly established wards to better understand how boundary changes may affect their representation and voting stations ahead of the 2026/27 municipal elections. #
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa praised the MDB for successfully completing the 2024/25 ward delimitation cycle, describing the occasion as a pivotal constitutional and practical milestone that signals the start of the IEC’s preparations for the upcoming elections.