News
ANC loses Electoral Court bid, internal divisions exposed
The ANC has lost its Electoral Court challenge against the IEC’s rejection of 181 candidate nominations ahead of South Africa’s 4 November local government elections.
The disputed nominations span six municipalities. The ANC argued that the candidate information had been captured on the IEC’s Online Candidate Nomination System before the 5pm deadline on 28 August, with technical failures allegedly preventing final confirmation.
The party maintained that it was not asking for late nominations, saying the names were already on the system before the deadline. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said the party would appeal the ruling and stressed that it respected the legal process.
‘We have consistently maintained that this matter is not about seeking preferential treatment for the ANC,’ she said. ‘It concerns the legal status of candidate information that the ANC maintains was captured into the IEC’s electronic system before the prescribed deadline.’
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE ELECTORAL COURT JUDGMENT pic.twitter.com/6PXVWE1eNr
ANC Spokesperson| Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri (@BhenguMahlengi) September 16, 2026
Bhengu also called on ANC members to ‘remain calm and disciplined’ while the legal process continues.
The Namibian specifically reports that the list crisis has exposed divisions between ANC power blocs, while The National has reported on deeper party divisions surrounding candidate lists.
The DA welcomed the judgment, with Federal Council chairperson Ashor Sarupen saying: ‘The DA welcomes the Electoral Court’s ruling that deadlines are deadlines.’
🚨 DEADLINES ARE DEADLINES. NO SPECIAL RULES.
The Electoral Court has rejected ANC’s bid to get around the candidate-list deadline.
The DA stood firm: the rules must apply equally to every party. This is a victory for free and fair elections, the rule of law and democracy.
Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) September 16, 2026
The party said the ruling supported ‘the rule of law, the fairness of elections, and equality among parties’. The IEC’s final candidate lists are expected to be published as parties prepare for the November poll.
