Mbalula returns to work after collapse, says he is ‘fit as a fiddle’

Back at his desk after medical checks

Mbalula told reporters that he had been ordered to rest by the ANC president and that the instruction had a set end time.

“The President of the African National Congress, who is after all the boss, ordered me to bed. That order expired at six o’clock this morning. I have served my sentence, and I am back at my desk,”

He said that doctors had examined him and confirmed he was fit to continue his duties.

“The doctors have examined me thoroughly and I am fit as a fiddle. I have rested. Now the ground is calling my name,”

What happened in the courtroom

Mbalula linked his collapse to the emotional and physical strain of a prolonged legal dispute over candidate nominations. He said the pressure of a seven-week legal battle weighed heavily on him because of concerns about voters being denied their chosen party on the ballot in several municipalities.

Reflecting on the episode, he said:

“Many of you saw what happened to me in that courtroom. I had carried something heavy for seven weeks.

‘The thought that people in six municipalities might be handed a ballot paper that did not carry the party they had chosen, that thought sat on my chest every night,’

Constitutional Court ruling and the reinstated candidates

The Constitutional Court set aside an earlier Electoral Court decision and ordered the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to include the 181 candidates on the November 4 ballot papers. The dispute had arisen after the ANC did not complete the final step of its online nomination process before the August 28 deadline.

Speaking about the legal argument the party presented, Mbalula said:

“Our argument was simple. The law of this Republic says what a party must do. A button inside a computer program is not the law. It appears in no Act, no regulation, no Government Gazette. A right our people bled for cannot be taken away by a screen design,”

Where the ruling applies

The Court’s decision affects six municipalities. The names cited during Mbalula’s statement were:

• Ngquza Hill
• Port St Johns
• Walter Sisulu
• Sundays River Valley
• uMshwathi
• Mangaung

Mbalula said the IEC was implementing the court order and that ballot papers in the affected municipalities were being reprinted. He added that 34 other political parties who had been in the same position had also been included.

Principle versus favour

Mbalula framed the court case as a matter of principle rather than a request for special treatment. He emphasised that the ANC sought to ensure that parties and independent candidates were not excluded from participating on grounds not prescribed by law.

At the same time, he offered measured praise for the electoral body’s response, saying the IEC was carrying out the court’s directive and urging citizens to regard the commission as an essential part of the democratic process.

Apology to affected voters and a return to campaigning

Addressing voters in the six municipalities named in the ruling, Mbalula apologised for the uncertainty they experienced over whether their chosen ANC candidates would appear on ballot papers.

“You did nothing wrong, and yet you were the ones left wondering whether your choice would appear on your ballot paper. For that, this movement is sorry, and I am sorry,”

With the court matter decided and 17 days remaining before the elections, Mbalula said the ANC would shift its focus fully back to campaigning and to addressing the nation’s challenges. He said:

“The courtroom is behind us. The campaign is in front of us. I am back, I am well, and from today you will find me where I belong, which is on the ground, with our people,”

He urged ANC members to visit voting districts and make sure residents knew where to cast their ballots.

Why this matters

The immediate consequence of the Constitutional Court decision was procedural: the IEC must alter ballot papers and make practical adjustments ahead of a scheduled election. More broadly, Mbalula’s account highlights how high-stakes legal disputes over electoral administration can place intense pressure on party officials and generate uncertainty for voters.

Legal rulings that affect candidate listings and ballot design can prompt rapid operational responses from electoral management bodies, and they frequently draw close public attention because they determine who will appear on the ballot at election time.