The ANC entered the final stages of compiling its candidate lists for the 2026 elections with unresolved procedural failures countrywide, forcing its top leaders into last-minute clean-up all the way down to the branch level.
The chaos culminated in an extended national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Tuesday, which continued into the early hours of Wednesday as the party raced to finalise its lists before the electoral commission’s Friday deadline.
The NEC reconvened on Thursday as the ANC scrambled to correct selections that had fallen short of its own requirements.
Widespread problems with gender parity, weak branch structures and the treatment of community-voted candidates threatened to derail the party’s lists before the November 4 elections.
Among the most contentious issues were gender parity, fears that disgruntled members could defect to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party or sabotage the ANC campaign and the removal of councillor candidates who had won support during community meetings.
The clash between community selections and internal branch general meeting (BGM) decisions has become an Achilles heel for the party.
In several cases, ANC members defeated in community meetings later prevailed during BGMs, creating a headache for party bosses and exposing the process to litigation.
In the Western Cape, ANC member Anele Gabuza of Ward 98 in the Dullar Omah region has threatened urgent court action over the replacement of a preferred candidate.
“This letter constitutes a formal letter of demand.
“Should the demands set out below not be met within the time period stipulated, our client reserves the right, without further notice, to approach the High Court for urgent relief,” his lawyers wrote.
They said the provincial task team had selected Yanga Mjingwana as the preferred candidate without either a BGM resolution or the knowledge and consent of branch members.
“Our client was further informed and avers that, in addition to the process being null and void, the substituted candidate does not meet the minimum requirements prescribed in the guidelines,” the lawyers said.
Sources said the NEC had also dealt with cases where candidates chosen by communities were subsequently removed by branches. The NEC had resolved that affected candidates be reinstated.
“All the branches do not have a choice. They have to abide by the NEC decision,” said an insider.
The community vote was introduced to give residents a say in deciding who should represent them in local government.
But branch decisions overturning some of those out-comes created conflict between community preferences and ANC processes.
Gender parity emerged as another major problem.
In Gauteng, the Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal, branches largely nominated men, forcing the party to intervene and rebalance the lists to ensure female representation.
The ANC is also expected to use its proportional representation lists after the elections to further correct gender imbalances.
KwaZulu-Natal presented another problem, with concerns inside the party about so-called “sleeper agents” in its structures.
The issue is particularly sensitive after ANC members defected to the MK Party before the previous election.
Some leaders fear that disgruntled members could again move to rival parties or quietly undermine the ANC’s campaign.
The Western Cape faced a different organisational problem. In parts of the province, weak branch structures made it difficult for the party to run its candidate-selection process through organisational channels. In Stellenbosch, only one branch was in good standing, according to a source.
The party was forced to identify people who could stand as candidates in areas where its structures were too weak to sustain the normal process.
“We had to go to the ground and find people who would represent the party or it meant that there would be vast parts of the Western Cape where we do not contest,” a source said.
The Eastern Cape has emerged as a flashpoint, with disgruntled members threatening legal action over allegations that the prescribed candidate-selection process had not been followed.
Members complained that the process should involve a BGM to nominate candidates, followed by a community meeting and another BGM. They alleged that some of the steps had been bypassed.
The dispute landed with ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula as members warned that they could approach the courts if their objections were not resolved.
The ANC also faced a dispute over candidates who do not have matric after provincial structures sought exemptions for some nominees.
The party’s electoral committee rejected the exemption requests but allowed affected candidates to remain on the lists conditionally. The candidates must commit in writing to obtaining a matric certificate or accredited NQF Level 4 qualification within 12 months of becoming ANC councillors.
Candidates who fail to provide the signed undertaking face removal from the lists.
- The ANC faced widespread procedural failures in compiling its candidate lists for the 2026 elections, leading to last-minute clean-up efforts down to branch level.
- Issues included gender parity shortfalls, weak branch structures, conflicts between community-voted candidates and branch general meeting decisions, and disputes over candidate qualifications.
- The ANC's national executive committee convened multiple times to address problems, ultimately ordering reinstatement of community-selected candidates removed by branches.
- Legal threats arose from members in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape regarding candidate selection processes that allegedly bypassed required meetings and resolutions.
- Candidates without matric were conditionally allowed on lists if they commit in writing to obtaining a matric certificate or equivalent qualification within 12 months of becoming councillors.
Widespread problems with gender parity, weak branch structures and the treatment of community-voted candidates threatened to derail the party’s lists before the
In several cases, ANC members defeated in community meetings later prevailed during BGMs, creating a headache for party bosses and exposing the process to litigation.
In the Western Cape, ANC member Anele Gabuza of Ward 98 in the Dullar Omah region has threatened urgent court action over the replacement of a preferred candidate.
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“Our client was further informed and avers that, in addition to the process being null and void, the substituted candidate does not meet the minimum requirements prescribed in the guidelines,” the lawyers said.
Sources said the NEC had also dealt with cases where candidates chosen by communities were subsequently removed by branches.
“All the branches do not have a choice.
But branch decisions overturning some of those out-comes created conflict between community preferences and ANC processes.
In
KwaZulu-Natal presented another problem, with concerns inside the party about so-called “sleeper agents” in its structures.
Some leaders fear that disgruntled members could again move to rival parties or quietly undermine the ANC’s campaign.
“We had to go to the ground and find people who would represent the party or it meant that there would be vast parts of the Western Cape where we do not contest,” a source said.
