ANC vs IEC: ‘Drastic, far-reaching’: ConCourt questions exclusion of 181 ANC candidates
While some Constitutional Court justices questioned whether an IEC software button could disenfranchise voters, others pressed the ANC on why it failed to follow a process it had known and used for years. Judgment has been reserved, with the court promising an urgent decision.
The Constitutional Court in South Africa is set to decide whether the African National Congress's (ANC) 181 candidates will be excluded from the upcoming local government elections due to a technical failure. The court will determine if excluding 181 candidates, whose nomination documents had been uploaded to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) before the deadline, is a "drastic, far-reaching" consequence that could impact voters' rights.
The ANC argues that clicking a final button on the IEC's online system is not a legally required step and should not be used to disqualify their candidates. The IEC and the Democratic Alliance (DA) contend that this final step is essential, as it confirms the party's intention to contest the election. Justice Rammaka Mathopo expressed concern that voters who had chosen candidates might be left questioning the validity of their mandate if the nomination is rejected due to the button not being clicked.
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