The African National Congress (ANC) will announce its mayoral candidates in the week leading up to its national manifesto launch, which is scheduled for 23 August 2026. Fikile Mbalula, the ANC’s Secretary-General, confirmed that the announcement was delayed due to the party receiving over 5,000 applications following its open public nominations in May 2026.

ANC Tightens Candidate Guidelines Ahead Of Elections

The ANC has implemented stricter rules for selecting candidates in preparation for the 2026 Local Government Elections. Speaking about these changes, former ANC President Kgalema Motlanthe stated, “The minimum qualification is now mandatory and also that the mayoral candidates for the metros and the secondary cities shall be handled by the national officials.” This marks a shift towards centralising key selections for major municipalities in an effort to ensure higher standards and improved accountability among mayoral hopefuls. The new guidelines were first announced in November 2025.

Large Volume Of Applications And Delayed Announcement

According to the ANC, the volume of nominations received prompted the decision to delay the announcement of mayoral candidates. Public nominations, which opened in May 2026, were extended to both party members and non-members. Party officials said they were reviewing more than 5,000 submissions to meet their new, stricter criteria. Dada Morero, ANC Gauteng secretary, previously explained that the selection process involves several internal stages before public confirmation, ensuring compliance with the guidelines released earlier in the year.

The mayoral candidates will be named shortly before the ANC’s central policy launch, providing local government election voters with clarity on the party’s leadership choices in each municipality. The party is expected to confirm the candidate list between 16 and 22 August 2026.

The ANC’s candidate announcement and manifesto launch will be watched closely as other parties, including the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, prepare their own campaigns for the crucial 2026 local polls.

The ANC is expected to confirm its mayoral candidate list in mid-August, with the party’s campaign strategy and manifesto to follow on 23 August 2026.