Home Affairs offices will open for longer before and on 4 November so eligible voters can collect or apply for identity documents. The election-day hours are longer than the general extended schedule.

The Department of Home Affairs will extend operating hours at all its front offices ahead of the Local Government Elections on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, according to a department statement reported by SAnews on 28 October.

When will Home Affairs offices be open?

  • Monday, 2 November: 08:00 to 18:00.
  • Tuesday, 3 November: 08:00 to 18:00.
  • Election Day, Wednesday, 4 November: 07:00 to 21:00.

The SAnews report first describes 08:00 to 18:00 hours for the period from 2 to 4 November, then gives a specific election-day schedule of 07:00 to 21:00 for 4 November, aligned with the Electoral Commission’s operating hours. This article treats the date-specific election-day hours as the exception to the general schedule. Because the source wording overlaps, confirm the arrangements at the office you plan to visit before travelling.

Which services are included?

The extended hours are intended to help eligible voters:

  • collect completed identity documents;
  • apply for identity documents; or
  • obtain a Temporary Identity Certificate, where applicable.

The announcement is about access to identity documentation needed for voting. It does not say that every Home Affairs service will be available during the extended period.

What should you take with you?

If you are collecting a completed document, take any collection receipt or notification already issued to you. For a new identity-document or Temporary Identity Certificate application, confirm the current supporting-document requirements before visiting. The announcement does not set out a universal document checklist.

It also does not state the applicable fees or announce a blanket fee waiver. Do not assume that extended opening hours make a normally paid service free. Confirm the requirements and any fee that applies to your service directly with Home Affairs.

Plan for queues

The extended hours are designed to give voters more time to obtain the documents they need, but they do not guarantee short queues or same-day completion of every application. People who have already been told that an identity document is ready can reduce last-minute pressure by collecting it before election day.

The department also asked community structures and leaders to encourage eligible voters to collect their documents or obtain temporary documentation before 4 November.

What remains to be checked

SA Business Lens did not locate the original Home Affairs statement on the department’s public website during this check. The operating hours and services above are therefore attributed to Home Affairs through SAnews. Office-level arrangements can change, so verify locally before making a long journey.

Source checked on 28 October 2026. This is a service-information report, not legal or voting advice.

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