Constitutional Court victory restores ANC candidates to the electoral race in six municipalities.

JOHANNESBURG, The African National Congress (ANC) has won its Constitutional Court battle against the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), following a ruling that clears the way for 181 of its candidates to contest the upcoming local government elections on 4 November 2026.
The Constitutional Court overturned the earlier Electoral Court decision that upheld the IEC’s exclusion of the ANC’s candidate nominations in six municipalities. The apex court ordered the IEC to take the necessary steps to include the affected candidates on ballot papers and in the relevant electoral processes.The ruling affects Sundays River Valley, Walter Sisulu, Ngquza Hill and Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape, uMshwathi in KwaZulu-Natal and Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in the Free State.

THE DISPUTE THAT REACHED THE HIGHEST COURT
The dispute centred on the IEC’s online candidate nomination system. The ANC had uploaded its candidates’ details and supporting documents but failed to complete the final “Submit as Final” step before the deadline on 28 August 2026.The IEC rejected the nominations, while the ANC argued that the information had already been captured on the system and that the final submission button was a software requirement rather than a requirement expressly prescribed by electoral legislation.After the Electoral Court ruled against the party, the ANC took its challenge to the Constitutional Court.
On Thursday, 15 October, Justice Rammaka Mathopo delivered the order granting the ANC’s appeal. The court indicated that its full reasons would follow.

A CRITICAL DEVELOPMENT AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY
The decision enables the affected ANC candidates to enter the electoral contest, including in municipalities where their exclusion had threatened the party’s ability to field candidates in particular wards.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula welcomed the outcome, maintaining that the party had pursued lawful channels to challenge a decision it believed affected electoral participation.However, the judgment also raises important questions about electoral administration, nomination deadlines and the consistent application of IEC requirements.

The Democratic Alliance opposed the ANC’s appeal and raised concerns about the precedent the ruling could establish.As South Africa approaches the 4 November local government elections, the case places renewed attention on the balance between procedural compliance, constitutional rights and fair electoral participation.

The ruling is a legal victory for the ANC in the candidate nomination dispute. The wider electoral contest, however, will ultimately be determined by voters at the ballot box.