LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: Ramaphosa defends ANC’s late election candidate lists as party considers court action
The ANC failed to submit hundreds of election candidate nominees on time, blaming ‘technical glitches’, but President Cyril Ramaphosa believes ‘a solution will be found’ and the party is even considering court action.
President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the African National Congress (ANC) over its late submission of election candidate lists for the local government elections in 2026. The party blamed technical glitches for failing to meet the 28 August deadline set by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Ramaphosa, during a campaign visit in Tembisa, assured voters that a solution would be found to prevent exclusion of candidates from the polls.
He suggested engaging the IEC, the party's Political Party Liaison Committee, and potentially the Electoral Court to resolve the issue. However, he downplayed the scale of the problem, stating that it was limited compared to previous electoral-list problems. The ANC faces challenges in municipalities across the Eastern Cape, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal, with just under 200 candidates impacted.
Residents in Tembisa raised concerns about unemployment, crime, rising living costs, and the need for better street lighting and police presence. Ramaphosa acknowledged these issues and promised to address them in the future. He also mentioned that the party had not yet announced its mayoral candidates, stating that they would be revealed in due time.
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