Andile Lungisa challenges alleged removal from ANC candidate list

The African National Congress (ANC) has firmly denied allegations of conflict with Reverend Frank Chikane, who was omitted from the councillor candidate lists submitted to South Africa's Electoral Commission. In a statement, the party’s spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu, categorically rejected reports claiming Chikane had taken the ANC to court over the matter.

Bhengu emphasized that Chikane remains a disciplined member of the party and expressed disappointment at the irresponsible media that published the false claims without verifying the information with the ANC or Reverend Chikane.

Chikane, a seasoned and respected ANC member, has reportedly been left off the councillor candidate lists for both the ward and party-list positions. The ANC attributes this omission to administrative errors and maintains that Chikane's candidacy remains undecided. However, the party chairperson of the region, Loyiso Masuku, and current mayor Dada Morero are both in the running for the City of Johannesburg's mayoral position.

In a separate development, Andile Lungisa, the ANC's mayoral candidate in Nelson Mandela Bay, has confirmed that he is taking the party to court following his name's exclusion from the IEC lists. Lungisa is also a member of the ANC's national executive committee. The ANC has assured that they will respond through established legal processes and will not publicize the matter in the media. The party has called on media institutions to correct the record and verify information before reporting on the issue.