Court rejects ANC appeal over candidate lists, limiting party’s presence in six municipalities

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MAPUTO — South Africa’s Electoral Court has rejected the African National Congress’ (ANC) appeal against the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), upholding a decision that prevents the party from contesting the 4 November local government elections in six municipalities.

The ruling represents an electoral setback for the ANC in the affected areas, but its impact is geographically limited to the municipalities covered by the case. The party will be completely absent from the ballot in Port St Johns and Ngquza Hill, in the Eastern Cape.

The legal dispute followed the late submission of the ANC’s candidate lists. The party argued that technical problems with the IEC’s electronic system contributed to its failure to complete the submission process within the prescribed deadline. The electoral commission rejected the explanation and maintained that the relevant deadlines and procedures had to be observed.

By upholding the IEC’s position, the Electoral Court reinforced the importance of compliance with established procedures and electoral deadlines. The ruling, however, concerns the candidate-registration process and does not, in itself, constitute an assessment of the ANC’s broader political performance.

The distinction is significant. While the ruling reduces the ANC’s presence in six municipalities, it does not prevent the party from contesting elections elsewhere where its candidate lists were successfully submitted and accepted.

The dispute also highlights the growing administrative challenges associated with the digitalisation of electoral processes. For political parties, reliance on electronic platforms increases the importance of internal verification, early preparation and contingency mechanisms to minimise the impact of technical or administrative failures.

For the ANC, the court ruling closes an important legal chapter and shifts the focus back to political organisation in the municipalities where it remains on the ballot. Campaign mobilisation, local policy proposals and engagement with voters will now become central to the party’s efforts in the remaining constituencies.

With the elections scheduled for 4 November, the case also offers a broader institutional lesson: electoral deadlines and procedures remain decisive, while the effective management of digital systems is becoming increasingly important to the organisation of modern elections.

The ruling therefore closes one specific legal dispute, but the ANC’s electoral campaign continues in the municipalities where the party remains eligible to contest the vote.