ANC Takes IEC to Electoral Court Over Candidate Registration Failures in 3 Provinces

The ANC has filed an urgent court application against the IEC after missing candidate submission deadlines in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Free State The governing party blamed technical glitches in the IEC's online portal, but the commission denied that any system malfunction occurred The Electoral Court's ruling will determine whether ANC nominees can appear on ballots ahead of the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections The ANC is taking the IEC to court. Images: Per-and Emmanuel Croset/AFP via Getty Images Source: Getty Images SOUTH AFRICA — The African National Congress has taken the Independent Electoral Commission to the Electoral Court after failing to register candidates in several key provinces ahead of the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections. According to eNCA, the dispute centres on candidate nominations that were not formally submitted before the IEC's deadline in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Free State. The ANC argues that errors in the commission's online submission portal prevented its completed candidate lists from being processed in time, despite the party insisting its nominations were finalised nationally before the cutoff. IEC rejects system malfunction claims The IEC has flatly denied that its platform experienced any technical failures, maintaining that the system operated correctly throughout the submission window. The commission disclosed that more than 2,200 candidates across 45 political parties were captured but never formally submitted before the deadline closed. Reopening the system, the IEC argued, would compromise its statutory obligations and its duty to treat all political parties equally. PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News. In its court application, the ANC is seeking an order that would set aside the commission's decision to exclude its nominees and compel the IEC to treat its ward and proportional representation candidate lists as validly submitted. The party is invoking Sections 14 and 17 of the Municipal Electoral Act as the legal basis for its claim. September deadline raises stakes The timing of the court challenge is critical. The IEC is scheduled to publish its final candidate list on 16 September 2026, leaving the Electoral Court little room to deliberate before that date. A ruling in the ANC's favour would allow its excluded nominees to appear on ballots in the affected municipalities. Should the court side with the IEC, the party faces the prospect of contesting those wards without a full slate of candidates, significantly weakening its position in areas it has traditionally held. The case raises broader questions about the reliability of digital submission systems used during high-pressure electoral periods and the limits of administrative discretion when technical disputes arise between the IEC and registered political parties. The ANC is taking the IEC to court. Image: Per-Anders Pettersson/ Getty Images Source: Getty Images Helen Zille roasts the ANC In a related article, Briefly News reported on Helen Zille's criticisms of the ANC following their decision to scrap the announcement of mayoral candidates for the upcoming local elections. As the Democratic Alliance's candidate for Johannesburg, Zille's pointed remarks and visual jabs raise questions about the ANC's readiness and commitment ahead of this critical political event. Source: Briefly News