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Hard words, in plain language

29 keywords we use on the site. Each meaning has a source. The same words are marked on our pages with a dotted line.

A

  • AmbassadorThe top person a country sends to speak for it in another country.

B

  • Ballot paperThe paper you mark with an X to vote. You get 2 in a metro and 3 everywhere else.

C

  • CoalitionParties that agree to run a council together, usually because none has more than half the seats alone. Together they choose the mayor.
  • ConsulateA smaller office of a country in another country. It helps its own citizens and gives visas and passports.
  • CouncilThe group of elected people who make decisions for a municipality. They pass its budget and choose the mayor.
  • CouncillorA person elected to make decisions for a municipality, such as the budget and who the mayor is. Each one holds one seat.

D

  • District councilA council over several local municipalities. It runs services for the whole area. There are 44. Voters outside the metros also vote for it.

E

  • EmbassyA country's main office in another country. It speaks for its own government there.

G

  • Goods or servicesThings given to a party instead of cash. Examples are paying its bills, lending it things to use, or paying for a venue or staff.

I

  • IECThe Electoral Commission of South Africa. It runs elections. It is independent, so it does not take orders from the government or any party.
  • IndependentA person who stands for election without a party. In local elections they can only stand in a ward.

L

  • Local municipalityA municipality for a town or rural area outside the metros. There are 205.

M

  • ManifestoA party's written list of its plans and promises for an election.
  • MayorThe leader of the municipality. Councillors choose this person, not voters. So the seats each party wins decide who can lead.
  • MetroA big city with one council for the whole city, such as Johannesburg or Cape Town. There are 8. Voters there get 2 ballot papers.
  • MP (Member of Parliament)A person who sits in Parliament, which makes South Africa's laws. They are not chosen in this local election.
  • MunicipalityThe local government for your area. It looks after local services, such as water, rubbish removal and local roads. There are 257.

P

  • ParliamentSouth Africa's national law-makers, in Cape Town. It has two parts, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.
  • PartyA group of people who stand for election together, with shared plans.
  • Party ballot (PR)You vote for a party, not a person. This vote decides how many council seats each party gets. PR stands for proportional representation.
  • Presiding officerThe official in charge of a voting station. Ask them if you need help or make a mistake.

R

  • Register of Members' InterestsParliament's public list where each MP must write down gifts, trips, paid work and shares, and who gave them. Anyone can read it.
  • RegisteredYour name is on the voters' roll. Registration for this election closed on 7 August 2026.

S

  • SeatA place on the council, held by one councillor. A party with more votes gets more of these places.
  • Special voteAn early vote on 2 or 3 November, for people who applied in time. Applications are closed.

V

  • Voters' rollThe official list of everyone who can vote, and where each person votes.
  • Voting stationThe place where you vote, often a school or a hall. You can only vote at the one where you are registered.

W

  • WardA small area inside a municipality. Each one elects one councillor.
  • Ward councillorA person chosen by the voters of one ward to speak for that area on the council. You vote for them by name.

Where each meaning comes from →