Eastern Cape ANC Faces Court Battle As Members Move to Nullify Candidate Lists
The African National Congress (ANC) has hit another legal roadblock in the Eastern Cape, where two party members have launched an urgent application in the Makhanda High Court seeking the total nullification of the party’s councillor and mayoral candidate lists.
The disgruntled members argue that the ANC’s internal constitution was completely bypassed during the nomination procedures and subsequent candidate submissions to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
The urgent court application adds a fresh layer of internal panic to an already embattled provincial structure, which is racing against time ahead of the November local government elections.
According to court papers, the applicants claim that undemocratic processes and constitutional violations tainted the selection of ward and proportional representation (PR) candidates.
They argue that the final lists submitted to the IEC do not reflect the legitimate mandates of the party’s branches.
This internal revolt arrives at the worst possible time for the governing party. Just days ago, the Electoral Court dismissed a major appeal by the ANC, locking out 181 of its candidates across six municipalities nationwide—including high-profile Eastern Cape strongholds like Ngquza Hill and Port St Johns—due to electronic submission blunders before the August 28 deadline.
Internal reports from ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula have already pointed fingers at provincial leadership for leaving a mere 29-minute window to process lists before the IEC system shut down.
Should the Makhanda High Court rule in favour of the two rebellious members, the ANC’s entire electoral machinery in parts of the Eastern Cape could face complete paralysis, potentially stripping more candidates off the ballot.
The Makhanda High Court is expected to hear the urgent matter in the coming days, while regional party leadership scrambles to contain what is fast becoming a multi-front legal and political crisis.
