The African National Congress filed an application with the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein on 4 September 2026, challenging the Independent Electoral Commission’s decision not to register 181 ANC candidates across six municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Free State. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula confirmed the court filing during a media briefing at Luthuli House on 8 September, insisting the party was not seeking preferential treatment but rather a legal ruling on whether candidate data captured on the IEC’s online system before the 28 August deadline constitutes formal submission under the Municipal Electoral Act.

Scale And Scope Of The Dispute

The 181 affected candidates comprise 130 proportional representation list candidates and 51 ward candidates across six councils, including Mangaung, uMsunduzi, Walter Sisulu, and Sundays River Valley. The ANC submitted 9,128 candidates nationally for the 4 November 2026 local government elections, meaning approximately 3% of its total slate is affected. The IEC stated that 2,274 potential candidates from 45 parties were captured on its Online Candidate Nomination System by the deadline but never formally submitted, including 480 PR candidates and 1,794 ward candidates. Mbalula argued that if the ANC’s court application succeeds, 2,093 non-ANC candidates would also benefit.

The IEC has maintained its system was operational on 28 August and that captured data does not equal formal submission. No independent technical audit has been reported to verify the ANC’s claim that operators were locked out during the final hour before the 5pm deadline. The ANC is asking the court to direct the IEC to treat its party lists and ward nominations as lawfully submitted under sections 14 and 17 of the Municipal Electoral Act.

Internal Pressure And Mayoral Omissions

Compounding the dispute, Mbalula confirmed that an administrative error left several high-profile mayoral candidates off candidate lists, including Reverend Frank Chikane in Johannesburg, Andile Lungisa in Nelson Mandela Bay, and Nocawe Mafu in Buffalo City. Mbalula said the error would be corrected, potentially after the election if the court dismisses the ANC’s appeal. According to the Sunday Times, some ANC NEC members are calling for Mbalula to face a disciplinary hearing over the submission failure, though this has not been corroborated by named NEC members or official ANC statements.

The candidate capturing process was overseen by ANC Electoral Committee chairperson and former president Kgalema Motlanthe, First Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane, and Mbalula. Loading began on 13 July 2026, with lists approved by the NEC on 25 August and rectified on 27 August, one day before the deadline. The IEC is scheduled to publish its final candidate list on 16 September, and the Electoral Court’s ruling will determine whether the 181 ANC nominations, along with those of other affected parties, appear on the ballot.