{
  "id": 17170814,
  "title": "83 parties contest Joburg polls, wards field 49 candidates",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/83-parties-contest-joburg-polls-wards-field-49-candidates",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T03:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/elections/83-parties-contest-joburg-polls-wards-field-49-candidates/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This year's Johannesburg local government elections feature 83 political parties, with each ward having a minimum of 49 candidates. Most wards have over 50 candidates, with wards 10 (Lenasia) and 18 (Eldorado Park) leading with 63 each. Only four wards – 94, 134, 90, and 126 – have exactly 49 candidates standing. Over 7,400 candidates are contesting the ward vote, each paying a deposit of R2,800 for party candidates and R1,800 for independents. The election sees a mix of traditional parties like ANC, DA, and EFF, as well as unique parties such as the Lekwe Bepe Kingdom Party, African Renaissance Unity (ARU) party, Organic Humanity Movement, Ilizwe Nathi, Bolsheviks Party of SA, Gap Fixers of SA, Imstaying, African Unemployed Congress, and Umphakathi Warona.",
  "summary": "Each of Johannesburg's 135 wards has a minimum of 49 candidates contesting, with wards 10 and 18 each fielding 63 candidates.",
  "key_points": [
    "83 political parties contest Johannesburg local government elections",
    "Each ward has minimum of 49 candidates, most have over 50",
    "Over 7,400 candidates contesting, paying deposits for party and independent candidates"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}