MTHATHA, Eastern Cape — Voter registration for the upcoming Local Government Elections has hit a major roadblock, as OR Tambo voter registration protests have forced the temporary closure of multiple campaign venues across the Eastern Cape. Residents in several communities are leveraging the LGE 2026 registration period to demand urgent interventions regarding chronic infrastructure neglect and disputed political candidate selections.
In Qumbu and the Second Location area, the core grievance centers on a decade of abandoned service delivery. Community members detailed a severe lack of basic amenities, including the absence of clean water, degraded road networks, and inaccessible village bridges. Compounding this frustration is a unilateral demarcation decision, where residents allege the municipality relocated their area from Ward 15 to Ward 23 without any prior public consultation.
Simultaneously, in Mthatha, the registration blockade is driven by political dissatisfaction. Residents actively prevented individuals from entering the venues, arguing that the African National Congress (ANC) ward councillor nomination process was deeply flawed. Locals expressed confusion and anger over being asked to register without a confirmed candidate to represent them.
Highlighting the community’s strategic stance, a local resident emphasized the reasoning behind the blockade: “We want them to come to us. The reason why we close the gates is because we want them to come to us and give us an update. We want to appoint our own councillor. We can see the registration process is ongoing. Who are we registering to vote for? We don’t have a candidate. We might as well continue with our current one.”
However, the protests have inadvertently penalized individual voters attempting to participate in the democratic process. One resident expressed deep frustration after being turned away at the gate, stating, “I was admitted at the hospital and I never got a chance to register. So, it was my chance. Now, when we got here, we found residents that block us from entering. This is frustrating me because if I don’t register, I won’t be able to vote in November.”
Addressing the internal party friction, an ANC Eastern Cape spokesperson acknowledged the growing tension. The spokesperson confirmed that the party is actively investigating the disputes surrounding ward councillor candidates, which were formally lodged by individual community members.
“I can confirm that the ANC internally is dealing with the issue of the ward candidates,” the spokesperson noted, adding that the Provincial Leadership Committee (PLC) is treating the matters seriously, will provide comprehensive feedback, and has already begun engaging with specific branches.
Despite the volatile start to the campaign, the electoral process eventually resumed. An Electoral Commission spokesperson confirmed that all affected registration stations were subsequently reopened, with voter registration officially commencing in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.
