[6] On 9 September 2021, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced that the elections would be held on 1 November.

[11] In Ward 93, Kusakusa Primary School, in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, the IEC allegedly caught individuals committing electoral fraud.

[15] 15:00 – The IEC warns and advises individuals on taking pictures inside voting booths, citing time constraints.

[19] The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has been the majority party in most municipalities across South Africa, with the exception of those in the Western Cape, since 1994.

Its overall share of the vote decreased from 61.95% in 2011 to 53.91% in 2016 amid growing discontent regarding the state of the country's economy and perceived corruption within the organisation.

Ramaphosa assumed the presidency in February 2018 and the ANC won the 2019 national elections with a slight decrease in the number of votes.

[21][22][23][24] The ANC regained control of the City of Johannesburg on 4 December 2019 following the election of its regional leader, Geoff Makhubo, to the mayoralty.

In subsequent municipal by-elections, the party has won wards off the DA in the North West and increased their support in Gauteng and Limpopo.

[42][43] The party fielded candidates in 3,158 of the 4,468 wards in 184 of the 257 councils and sought to make inroads in the Western Cape by promising minority rights protection.

[47] ActionSA was a new party, established by the former mayor of Johannesburg Herman Mashaba, which gained significant attention especially within the provinces of Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal.

The ANC lost its council majority in four metropolitan municipalities – Tshwane, Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay, City of Ekurhuleni.

Even though an ANC-sponsored motion of no confidence removed the DA administration in Nelson Mandela Bay, the ANC voted for a United Democratic Movement (UDM) mayor.

[62] The DA campaigned on "get the basics right" and "getting things done" also in reference to the ANC's weak record in municipal government whilst the EFF used the slogan "Jobs and Land, Now!"

[62][64] DA run municipalities such as Cape Town and George were given by the party as examples where they had to use their position in government to work to minimize the impact of the South African energy crisis on a local level, maintain infrastructure, and provide affordable mass transportation services.

[62] ActionSA promised equitable rates and free basic services for indigent households whilst cutting unnecessary costs in local government, reducing illegal electrical connections, and keeping public spaces clean.

[62] ActionSA promised to appoint ethical public officials, introduce lifestyle audits and minimum turnaround times on service delivery issues.

[62] Political parties debated and campaigned on the issue of decentralising power away from the national government towards local authorities, this is most pronounced in the Western Cape province.

[77] The ANC promised to reduce youth unemployment and increase educational opportunities[63] whilst strengthening social security for vulnerable groups and expanding mass employment programs.

[62] ActionSA promised to repeal restrictive legislation, support youth employment, and implement a property audit to identify and reuse abandoned or stolen buildings.

[83] The newly established political party Good, led by former DA mayor Patricia de Lille, and the Economic Freedom Fighters both earned some support in the city.

Madikizela later resigned as provincial leader and from all active party roles and dropped out of the selection process, following a scandal over his qualifications.

[87] On 22 August 2021, Good Secretary-General and Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, Brett Herron, was announced as the party's mayoral candidate for the metro.

[100] The DA had selected former MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning Randall Williams as its preferred mayoral candidate for the city.

[108] The ANC lost control of the City of Johannesburg in 2016,[109] and the Democratic Alliance's mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba assumed the mayoralty.

The city lost its mayor for a second time in short sequence, when Matongo was involved in a fatal car accident on 18 September.

After a long period with interim leadership, Nqaba Bhanga of the DA was elected mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay in December 2020.

[236] Amnesty International has called on the Electoral Commission of South Africa to investigate reports of manhandling and the arrest of Newzroom Afrika journalist Ziniko Mhlaba.

[237] Ziniko Mhlaba was arrested by police at a Soweto polling station after he allegedly obstructed justice by distracting the presiding officer.

[238] DA federal council chairwoman Helen Zille was purportedly dragged out of a Port Elizabeth polling station by police after being asked to leave the premises.

[239][240] In the Eastern Cape province it was reported that 22 polling stations couldn't open because protestors dug trenches and barricaded roads.