JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The African National Congress (ANC) is calling for an urgent technical investigation after the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) system reportedly rejected a final batch of ANC candidate lists just hours before the submission deadline for the 2026 local government elections. While IEC CEO Sai Mamabulo has firmly stated that the nomination window will not be reopened, ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu insists the party complied with all submission timelines and is seeking a lawful resolution to protect voter choice.
Sai Mamabulo addressed the situation by emphasizing that the electoral commission will not bend its rules or grant extensions to any political party or candidate that failed to finalize their submissions. The IEC confirmed it had been in constant communication with the national party liaison committee, verifying that the ANC indeed had missing candidate entries in specific municipalities. Mamabulo also noted that the commission has no record of any widespread system failure during the nomination period, which had been open since 21 June.
Pushing back against claims of non-compliance, Mahlengi Bhengu assured supporters that the party successfully uploaded nominations from all nine provinces well ahead of the 28 August cutoff. She attributed the tight timeline to the ANC’s newly stringent vetting protocols, which evaluate candidates on ethical conduct, competence, and community ties. Bhengu noted that this rigorous, community-involved process is deliberately laborious and represents a major improvement over the registration failures the party experienced in 2021.
According to Bhengu, the complication occurred on the final day of submissions. Just before 5:00 PM, as the last portion of the ANC’s candidate batch was being uploaded, the IEC portal began rejecting the data. The affected regions include OR Tambo and Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape, one municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, and the Mangaung metropolitan municipality in the Free State.
The ANC is not requesting permission to alter or add new names to its roster. Instead, Bhengu clarified that the party wants an official investigation into the technological malfunction to validate the candidates that were already captured in the system alongside their required documentation. She stressed that the ANC is not “fighting” the IEC, describing the Chapter 9 institution as a hallmark of good governance and democratic electoral participation. The party is simply advocating for democratic fairness to ensure affected communities can exercise their electoral choice.
The submission hiccup carries significant political weight. Bhengu estimated that the glitch could impact approximately 150 to 200 combined proportional representation (PR) and ward seats. This unfolds against a backdrop of recent independent polling suggesting the ANC’s support has dipped to around 34%, down from 46%. Despite this, Bhengu remained confident, noting that the ANC’s sheer volume of candidates—nearly 10,000 nationwide—still dwarfs that of any other political party, keeping their fight to retain and reclaim municipalities highly competitive.
In a separate matter addressed during the broadcast, Bhengu clarified the status of Malusi Gigaba regarding his role as co-chair on the joint standing committee on defense. She corrected media reports suggesting he was “removed,” stating instead that Gigaba voluntarily stepped aside in strict adherence to the ANC’s step-aside policy. This policy is triggered when a member faces criminal charges, reflecting the party’s stated commitment to upholding integrity and addressing the rot in the criminal justice system highlighted by recent judicial commissions.
When questioned about the recent dismissal of Feroz Khan, Bhengu reiterated the ANC’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption. She asserted that the law must be allowed to take its course, emphasizing that anyone who undermines South Africa’s justice institutions through their actions must face the full might of the law.
As the 2026 local government elections approach, the ANC continues to pursue a constructive, lawful dialogue with the IEC to resolve the candidate list discrepancy, hoping to close this chapter without disenfranchising the communities they aim to represent.
