PRETORIA, Gauteng — The Democratic Alliance has formally filed papers in the Electoral Court to oppose the ANC’s urgent bid to submit its candidate lists after missing the official cut-off time. The legal intervention centers on whether the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) should grant the extension, a move the Democratic Alliance argues would undermine the rule of law and the integrity of the electoral process.
The ANC approached the court on an urgent basis, attributing the missed deadline in six municipalities to a technical glitch on the IEC’s online candidate nomination portal. However, DA Federal Council Chairperson Ashor Sarupen firmly rejected this justification. He noted that all political parties were provided with extensive training and materials detailing exactly how to use the online system to submit or withdraw lists, and that the IEC explicitly stated submissions would only be considered final if the established procedure was followed.
Sarupen emphasized that altering the rules mid-game threatens the foundation of a free and fair election. He argued that if an exception is made for the ANC without concrete evidence of a systemic collapse, the same accommodation would logically have to be extended to all non-compliant parties based on unproven allegations of a system glitch.
To counter the claims of a widespread technical failure, Sarupen pointed out that the Democratic Alliance successfully submitted its own list in advance and made final adjustments using the system at 4:23 PM without experiencing any technical difficulties. He added that most other participating parties also reported no issues with their submissions.
Highlighting legal precedent, Sarupen referenced the 2024 elections, where the IEC and the courts upheld strict deadline compliance under very similar circumstances. He stressed that the judiciary cannot establish a separate set of rules for the ANC in 2026 that differs from the standards applied to other parties in previous election cycles. Nevertheless, he affirmed that the Democratic Alliance holds the judiciary in high regard and will fully accept the Electoral Court’s final ruling, despite disagreeing with the ANC’s interpretation of the law.
During the discussion, questions were also raised regarding recent media reports alleging that Abdulkader Elyas, a DA councillor previously sanctioned and barred from standing for public office after admitting to falsifying his qualifications, appeared as the number four candidate on the party’s list for the Cape Town Council.
Addressing the matter, Sarupen clarified that the DA utilizes a decentralized system of selection panels to interview all candidates. He stated that the media reports had misunderstood the situation regarding the individual’s eligibility. Sarupen confirmed that Elyas was indeed sanctioned, and the party’s federal executive structures are actively investigating whether he has fully complied with those sanctions before any final determination on his candidacy is made.
The discussion concluded abruptly due to an apparent technical disconnect, but the DA’s core legal and procedural arguments against granting deadline extensions remain firmly lodged with the Electoral Court.
