ANC candidate purge exposes tensions over vetting and factionalism

The African National Congress (ANC) has controversially removed more than 350 councillor candidates ahead of the 2026 local government elections, sparking debate over party vetting standards and factional tensions within the organization. Political analysts say the purge highlights both the ANC's commitment to enforcing party standards and the long-standing factional battles that have plagued the party.

The candidate selection process includes branch participation, community input, verification, and final approval, with the party aiming to ensure selected candidates are suitable for public office. However, the sheer scale of the exclusions has raised uncomfortable questions about the vetting process. More than 10,000 candidates were prepared for the elections, but the disqualifications occurred during final vetting, primarily for criminal records and failure to meet the ANC's qualification requirements.

Analysts argue that the removals point to deeper divisions within the ANC, suggesting that the decision represents a continuation of factionalism that has plagued the organization since the 2007 Polokwane Conference. They call for a higher-level intervention to address internal divisions and leadership accountability. ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu defended the candidate-selection process, stating that its vetting and verification mechanisms were designed to identify candidates who did not meet the required standards.

She emphasized that the party acts decisively when concerns are identified, removing candidates who fail to meet the ANC's standards to ensure that only qualified individuals proceed.