THEMBISA, EKURHULENI, GAUTENG — ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the African National Congress is preparing to approach the Electoral Court following severe technical glitches with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) online nomination system, which disrupted the formal submission of candidate lists for the upcoming local government elections.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a door-to-door campaign in Thembisa, Ekurhuleni, Ramaphosa addressed the disqualification of approximately 181 ANC ward and proportional representation (PR) councilors. He explained that while the party’s candidate lists had been successfully uploaded for the entire country, systemic interface glitches during the final confirmation process prevented some entries from being formally submitted.
The technical failures disproportionately affected ANC candidates in KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State, and the Eastern Cape. However, Ramaphosa emphasized that the issue is not isolated to the ANC, noting that roughly 34 other political parties experienced similar disruptions. This aligns with IEC confirmations that close to 2,300 candidates from 45 political parties and independent candidates will not contest the elections because their profiles were not fully submitted before the strict Friday 5:00 p.m. deadline.
Despite the widespread disruptions, the IEC has maintained a firm stance. The commission insists that the online candidate capture system was fully available and functional, and that adequate time was provided for all political parties to complete their submissions. Consequently, the IEC has stated it will not reopen the system or extend the deadline for any party.
In response, the ANC is actively pursuing a multi-pronged resolution strategy. The party is currently engaging with the IEC, the political party liaison committee, and other affected political parties to find an amicable and swift solution. Ramaphosa stressed that administrative or technical glitches should not ultimately deprive citizens of their democratic right to vote for their preferred candidates.
When questioned about the possibility of litigation, Ramaphosa confirmed that the party is evaluating its legal options. He highlighted that approaching the Electoral Court is a strong consideration, noting that it is a specialist institution specifically mandated to handle these types of electoral disputes and is well-equipped to resolve the matter fairly.
The ANC remains optimistic that a collaborative solution involving the IEC and political party stakeholders will be reached soon to ensure a fair and inclusive electoral process.
