LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: IEC audit trail challenges ANC’s claim of technical problems
The Electoral Commission of SA has pushed back at the ANC’s claim that technical problems caused its candidate-list failure, arguing that its records instead show the party ran out of time and left the crucial final submission step until the last minute.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has challenged the African National Congress (ANC)'s claim that technical problems caused their candidate-list failure in the 2026 local elections. According to the IEC, its audit trail contradicts the ANC's allegations, revealing that the party ran out of time and submitted the crucial final step at the last minute.
The commission found no evidence of system activity during the final two hours before the deadline in two of the six municipalities at the center of the disputed candidate-list issue: Ingquza Hill and Port St Johns. This revelation casts further doubt on the ANC's claim that "technical problems" prevented their operators from completing the submissions.
The IEC has submitted the system records to the Electoral Court to oppose the ANC's application to treat their candidate lists for these municipalities as having been submitted before the 5pm deadline on 28 August. The dispute affects just under 200 ward and proportional representation candidates in the affected municipalities.
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