South Africa's Parliament said the national electoral commission is ready to run the November 4 vote, offering reassurance just over a week before polls open. The statement follows weeks of pressure on the commission, which had to adapt its printing and distribution plans after a court ruling changed ballot requirements. Lawmakers who reviewed its readiness said logistics, staffing and polling-station arrangements were largely in place, though the short timeline left little room for error.

At the center of the preparations is a court-ordered print run of 6.6 million extra ballots, underway to meet the revised legal requirements before election day. Officials describe the reprint as significant, requiring coordination across printing facilities and distribution networks so every polling station gets correct ballots on time. The extra run adds cost and pressure to an election already under scrutiny, and officials have not said exactly when the ballots will reach provincial warehouses.

The assurance is meant to reassure voters and parties the vote will proceed despite the late changes, at a moment when confidence in election administration carries weight. South Africa's electoral body has faced scrutiny over logistics in past cycles, making this round a test of its ability to absorb a sudden legal change without disrupting the timeline. With just over a week remaining, attention turns to whether the ballots arrive in time and the result is seen as credible.