ANC faces candidate registration crisis ahead of 2026 elections

The African National Congress (ANC) is facing internal turmoil following the failure to register several candidates for the 2026 local government elections. A leaked report from Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula reportedly indicates that 51 recommended mayoral candidates, including activist Frank Chikane, were not submitted to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

In Nelson Mandela Bay, mayoral candidate Andile Lungisa has filed legal papers against the party due to his omission from the lists. While some party insiders suggest factionalism may have caused the errors, ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe has attributed the issue to a technical glitch affecting six municipalities, primarily in the Eastern Cape. Mantashe stated that 97% of candidates were successfully submitted and urged calm while the party awaits court proceedings.

Provincial leadership in the Eastern Cape has indicated they will hold meetings to review forensic findings to determine how the registration errors occurred, noting that the lists were processed at headquarters rather than the provincial level.