Grant Pascoe
The 2026 local government elections will not only be about political parties. They will be about people. No group carries more weight in Cape Town than Coloured voters.
In 2024 Cape Town had just over two million registered voters. Census data shows about 987,000 were Black African which is 46 percent of the roll. About 756,000 were Coloured which is 35 percent. About 350,000 were White which is 16 percent. Around 67,000 were Indian Asian or Other which is 3 percent. On paper Coloured voters are the second largest group in the city and a force that can shape outcomes.
Coloured Ballot Turnout Disproportionately Low
Turnout told a different story. Analyst Gareth van Onselen showed White turnout at almost 75 percent. Coloured turnout was only 58 percent. That meant White voters who are only 16 percent of the roll ended up with 20 percent of actual votes. Coloured voters who are more than a third of the roll dropped to 34 percent of the ballots. The numbers prove that real influence comes from showing up.
This is why 2026 will be decisive. If Coloured turnout rises by only five percentage points that means almost 38,000 extra votes. That is enough to swing wards in Mitchells Plain, Bishop Lavis, Bonteheuwel, Elsies River and Atlantis. In local elections where contests are often decided by a few hundred votes this margin can decide who governs Cape Town.
Not Voting is an Ineffective Way to Protest
Coloured voters will also remember their daily struggles. They will remember the high electricity tariffs that hurt them every month. They will remember the fixed charges added to bills that punished families even when they tried to save power. They will remember paying more while services in their communities fell apart. By 2026 these issues will still be fresh in people’s minds.
The choice is simple. Stay home and accept more of the same or turn out and demand change. Not voting is not protest. It is surrender. It gives away your power over housing, jobs, safety and electricity costs.
Why Registration AND Showing Up to Vote Matters
That is why registration matters now. Every Coloured person who is not yet on the voters’ roll must register today. Registering is the first step to claiming your voice. The next step is showing up in 2026 and voting in the Local Government Elections.
Coloured voters are not passengers in Cape Town politics. They are the drivers. In 2026 the city will see how Coloured voters turn out and what they decide for the future of Cape Town.
Register today. Decide tomorrow. The power is in your hands.
