South African entertainers turned out at polling stations on Wednesday as the country held its 2026 local government elections, with several familiar faces sharing their voting-day moments online.
Key takeaways
- Stars from music, television and comedy joined voters in casting their ballots.
- Langa Mavuso, Thabo Rametsi and Phuti Khomo posted photos showing their marked thumbs.
- Lady Du brought her nine-year-old daughter along to the voting station.
- The singer used the outing to introduce her child to the importance of civic participation.
- Khomo and Rametsi both urged South Africans not to treat voting as something to be taken lightly.
Celebrity voting-day posts
Among the public figures documenting their participation were singer Langa Mavuso, actor Thabo Rametsi and media personality Phuti Khomo. Each shared social-media images of the ink on their thumbs, the visible sign that they had voted.
Lady Du also gave followers a glimpse of her experience at the polls. While standing in the queue, the musician posted a video of herself dancing with her daughter, who is nine years old.
Although her child is still years away from being able to vote, Lady Du explained that she wanted to begin teaching her about the process and its importance while she is young.
Stars reflect on democracy
Several celebrities used their platforms not only to post pictures, but also to underline the wider meaning of election day.
Khomo described her inked finger as more than a voting-day detail, writing that it was “a small mark” with major significance for democracy. She said power is shown when people decide to make their voices heard.
Rametsi also shared a longer message alongside his voting photo, joking that followers should ignore the state of his thumb and concentrate on the mark left on it. The actor said he had exercised one of the country’s most important rights.
He reminded followers that people of different races and women had not gained that right without struggle and significant sacrifice, with many people fighting and dying for it. Rametsi stressed that the day should not be viewed simply as time off, writing that it was not a public holiday but a day to vote, and urging South Africans to cast their ballots.
