Pretoria: Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has urged South Africans to register to vote during the second and final national voter registration weekend on 1-2 August, 2026. Hlabisa's call comes as South Africa prepares for the next Local Government Elections, with the voter registration weekend providing eligible citizens an opportunity to register or update their registration details before the polls. According to South African Government News Agency, Hlabisa emphasized the importance of active citizen participation in improving the performance of municipalities. Speaking during a joint media briefing with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, Hlabisa addressed the temporary withholding of municipal equitable share transfers, highlighting the significance of voter registration for strengthening local governance. The Minister encouraged eligible citizens to utilize the voter registration weekend on 1-2 August to ensure their participation in the upcoming Local Governm ent Elections. "I would like to urge the people of South Africa to go and register. The coming weekend, 1 and 2 August, is an open weekend for registration. Go and register as a voter," Hlabisa asserted. Hlabisa also urged citizens to engage in the nomination of candidates and to vote for leaders who are capable of serving their communities effectively. He emphasized that the quality of local governance is dependent on the calibre of councillors elected to office, stating, "If we want to fix municipalities, we must fix who becomes a councillor. That is the bottom line." He further added that elected leaders must prioritize spending public funds on essential services and priority needs, rather than on non-essential projects. "When the money comes, it must do what it is supposed to do and not be spent on the nice-to-haves - eventually leading municipalities into a critical state," Hlabisa cautioned.