The ANC has admitted that 252 identity numbers were incorrect during its candidate vetting process, according to an IOL report on 8 September 2026, adding a new dimension to the party’s dispute with the Electoral Commission over missed nomination deadlines in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Free State. The admission emerges as the ANC challenges the IEC’s refusal to reopen its online nomination system after the 28 August cutoff, with local government elections scheduled for 4 November 2026.

ANC Internal Vetting And ID Number Errors

The figure of 252 incorrect identity numbers appears only in the IOL report dated 8 September and could not be independently confirmed by other outlets at the time of publication. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu told JoburgETC that the party undertook a “very robust” vetting process focused on collecting identity numbers and minimising error margins, and that a batch was “kicked out” during final submission.

The affected candidates were from parts of the Eastern Cape, one municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, and Mangaung metropolitan municipality in the Free State. The ANC has requested an investigation into whether there were technological failures or other reasons for the system malfunction, according to Bhengu.

IEC Rejects Glitch Claims As Court Challenge Filed

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo stated that the commission had no reports of a non-functional system on the deadline day and rejected the ANC’s glitch claims. The IEC’s online candidate nomination system had been accessible since 21 June 2026, nearly two months before the official nomination period began on 7 August.

“On our end, we can confirm that we don’t have reports of a nonfunctional system on the day,” Mamabolo said during a media briefing. The IEC confirmed that 2,274 candidate names across 45 political parties were captured online but not formally submitted by the 5pm deadline on 28 August.

The ANC filed papers with the Electoral Court on 7 September, with President Ramaphosa claiming approximately 34 parties experienced similar problems. “The technical glitches should not in the end deprive our people from being able to vote for their candidates,” Ramaphosa said, though the figure of 34 affected parties was not independently confirmed by the IEC.

The IEC received 142,072 nominations from 504 political parties contesting 10,526 council seats nationwide and expects to publish its final candidate list on 16 September after completing compliance checks. The Electoral Court has not yet indicated when it will hear the ANC’s application.