JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The African National Congress (ANC) is in the final stages of selecting its ANC mayoral candidates and broader councilor slates for the upcoming November local government elections. Following a critical National Executive Committee (NEC) gathering in Johannesburg this week, ANC Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu revealed that the party evaluated more than 1,500 hopefuls before refining the shortlists, with the official mayoral nominees slated for a public reveal in September.
The recent deliberations took the form of an extended NEC session, intentionally designed to include the party’s alliance partners. Bhengu emphasized that this collaborative approach honors the organization’s democratic traditions, functioning similarly to what was historically known as a “list conference.” The comprehensive roster under review covers both ward and proportional representation (PR) councilors destined to serve as public representatives.
A critical factor driving this week’s urgent meetings is the need to meet the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) submission deadline, which falls on Friday. Once the lists are submitted to satisfy this regulatory requirement, a special NEC convening will be held exclusively to validate, ratify, and formally sign off on the documents before their final transmission to the electoral body.
The inclusion of allies in this week’s talks also serves to address recent friction. Over the weekend, representatives from alliance formations, including SANCO, publicly expressed frustration over perceived exclusion from the decision-making process. Responding to these concerns, Bhengu clarified that coalition partners have been integrated into the candidate selection pipeline from the grassroots level upward, ensuring they had sufficient opportunity to review and submit input before this finalization stage.
Beyond the political logistics, the NEC reaffirmed a strict educational benchmark: prospective councilors are expected to possess a matric (Grade 12) certificate. However, the guidelines, overseen by the ANC’s quasi-independent electoral committee, include a pragmatic waiver. This exception acknowledges community stalwarts who may only have a Grade 10 or lower education but possess deep-rooted community support, a proven track record of local advocacy, and a strong grasp of ward-level service delivery and governance challenges.
Crafted over two years ago, this provision operates much like a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework, balancing formal education with practical governance experience in a country where many capable community leaders have not accessed the expected standard of schooling. Crucially, this is not a blanket exemption. Any candidate benefiting from this waiver must sign a binding pledge to obtain their high school qualification within 12 months.
Bhengu made it clear that this commitment will be actively monitored. Should a councilor fail to fulfill their educational pledge within the one-year timeframe, they will face disciplinary consequences. This enforcement will be executed through the rigorous quarterly reporting and performance management systems already established for all elected public representatives.
