Icasa opens airwaves: PEB slots allocated as fierce 2026 local polls loom
· Citizen
With just over a month before South Africans head to the polls on 4 November 2026, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) will on Monday allocate Political Election Broadcast slots – a decisive step to guarantee equitable access to the airwaves in what is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested local government elections in decades.
Icasa confirmed that the allocation follows the receipt of the final candidate list from the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and will be conducted under the Municipal Elections Broadcasting Regulations, which provide for fair treatment of all contesting parties and independents.
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Broadcasts
Councillor Ntombiza Sithole, chairperson of Icasa’s Elections Committee, underscored the importance of the process.
“Political Election Broadcasts provide political parties and independent candidates with an important platform to communicate their policies and proposed programmes directly to voters. Through a transparent and equitable allocation process, Icasa seeks to promote a diversity of political voices.”
Allocation
Icasa emphasised that PEB slots are broadcast free of charge by designated licensees, with parties and independents responsible for producing and submitting their own material in line with prescribed requirements.
“This allocation represents an important step towards ensuring equitable access to broadcasting platforms during the election period,” Icasa said.
The regulator reiterated its commitment to transparency and fairness, noting that equitable access to broadcast platforms is central to strengthening democracy and voter choice.
Free
A Political Election Broadcast (PEB) is a free, regulated slot that allows political parties and independent candidates to deliver their campaign messages directly to the public.
The Municipal Elections Broadcasting Regulations govern the allocation process and provides for equal opportunity for all participants.
High stakes
The stakes are high. With service delivery failures gripping municipalities nationwide, the elections are expected to be fiercely contested. A total of 546 political parties out of 732 registered parties will contest the 2026 Local Government Elections – a sharp rise from the 325 parties that participated in 2021.
Johannesburg will see 80 parties on the ballot, Tshwane 72, eThekwini 70, Ekurhuleni 69 and Cape Town 55. Other municipalities in the top ten include Emfuleni (43), Polokwane (40), Rustenburg (38), Nelson Mandela Bay (38) and Capricorn District (38).
In total, 142 072 candidates have been nominated to contest 10 526 council seats across the country, underscoring the scale and intensity of political competition ahead of November’s vote.