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The Electoral Commission of South Africa has finalised the list of 136,790 candidates to contest the upcoming local government elections, leaving the African National Congress facing the exclusion of 181 candidates across six municipalities. According to the electoral body, the final contestant tally follows an Electoral Court ruling on Wednesday, 16 September, which dismissed the party’s challenge over missed nomination deadlines.
Electoral Court Dismisses Challenge Over Missed Deadlines
The legal dispute centred on candidate nominations that were not finalised before the 5 pm deadline on 28 August. Following the dismissal, IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo stated that the commission noted the decision and would proceed with election preparations to ensure certainty for eligible participants. The African National Congress has resolved to appeal against the judgment, though election authorities are pressing ahead with the established calendar.
Strict Timelines and Disqualifications
IEC deputy CEO for electoral operations Masego Sheburi emphasised that election deadlines remain immutable to protect constitutional voting rights. Statutory reviews conducted after nominations closed resulted in 5,096 total disqualifications due to unpaid deposits or missing documentation. On 4 September, authorities issued notices regarding 1,280 candidates lacking identification documents or acceptance forms, followed by additional notices on 9 September for candidates nominated across multiple entities.
Did You Know? A total of 10,526 seats are up for contest in the upcoming local government elections, compared with 10,478 seats contested during the 2021 municipal vote.
Ballot Preparation and Crowded Contests
With candidate lists certified, the commission is preparing ballot papers ahead of a scheduled draw during the signing of the Electoral Code of Conduct on 23 September. Candidature certificates will be issued on 25 September. The scale of participation will produce unusually crowded ballots in major metropolitan areas, requiring double-column proportional representation ballot papers in Johannesburg, Tshwane, eThekwini, Ekurhuleni, and Cape Town.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the exclusion of African National Congress candidates? The exclusions occurred after nominations were not finalised before the 5 pm deadline on 28 August, leading to an Electoral Court dismissal of the party’s challenge.
How many total candidates have satisfied the requirements? A total of 136,790 candidates have satisfied statutory requirements to contest seats across the country’s municipalities.
When will special votes take place? Applications for special votes open on 21 September and close on 12 October, with special voting scheduled for 2 and 3 November.
How will your local municipality manage the double-column proportional representation ballot papers given the number of participating parties?
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