Local Government Elections: Gogo Furious After Family Hides ID Before Heading To Vote

• A South African family sparked intense online debate after sharing a video showing an elderly woman dressed in full ANC regalia frantically searching for her missing identity document
• The TikTok clip reposted by a content creator shows the grandmother checking under pillows and around her bed ahead of voting
• While some social media users found the clip amusing, others warned that withholding someone's ID to prevent them from voting is a serious electoral offence

A local family set social media abuzz after sharing a viral video depicting an elderly woman desperately searching for her missing identity document ahead of casting her vote. The woman, fully dressed in African National Congress (ANC) regalia, including a traditional doek and dress, is seen frantically lifting pillows and checking around her bedroom while family members watch on. The post quickly tapped into election-day tensions, drawing widespread attention across TikTok.

Family hides grandmother's ID ahead of voting

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In the video shared by TikTok user @msineleni on 4 November 2026, captioned "We have hidden her ID", the elderly woman walks around her neatly made bed, looking under pillows, searching for the document needed at the ballot station. Young family members appear in the room as the search continues, with the uploader later chiming in to remind voters to avoid illegal voting-booth actions such as photographing ballot papers.

Watch the TikTok video that sparked a division online here.

Mzansi divided over viral election stunt

The clip quickly gained traction, racking up thousands of views and triggering fierce debate in the comment section over whether the act was harmless family banter or voter suppression:

@Liz Gaskell wrote:

"Desperate times call for desperate measures."

@Mthokozisi noted:

"This is a crime I thought we were just joking."

@TruthBites added:

"ANC people crashing out in the comments 😅."

@Sihle Mbali commented:

"Irrespective of what your decision is, we cannot make light of this. It is a fundamental right entrenched in our Constitution. We all want change, but this is unacceptable! Illegal!"

@ Black Pearl joked:

"As the youth, we are so proud of Nompilo 😂."

@ Loading shared:

"Our kids are growing up 😂."

Other election-related articles

• Two young women left Mzansi in stitches after comically wrestling and lunging along a pavement to block each other's political election campaign posters from passing motorists.
• The Freedom Front Plus dominated the Orania Town Hall voting station during the local government elections by securing 88.82% of the ballots, while the African National Congress failed to win a single vote.
• SAPS will scale down its post-election deployment in KwaZulu-Natal but keep standby forces ready until municipal councils are officially constituted.

Source: Briefly News