ANC wins High Court challenge over Eastern Cape candidate lists

The Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda has dismissed an urgent application by two African National Congress (ANC) members seeking to nullify the party’s councillor and mayoral candidate lists for the 2026 local government elections.

The applicants alleged that the nomination processes were manipulated and did not accurately reflect Branch General Meetings. They accused the party’s provincial executive committee, Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, and provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukaitobi of violating candidate selection rules and failing to publish finalized lists on the party website. The applicants further claimed the lists had been altered.

Justice Motilal Rugunanan ruled that the applicants failed to establish a basis for judicial interference in the internal affairs of the ANC. The party welcomed the judgment, describing it as a vindication of its internal democratic processes. Separately, the ANC has launched an urgent appeal in the Constitutional Court regarding an Electoral Court decision that disqualified 181 of its candidates across six municipalities.