DA Files Papers Before Electoral Court to Oppose ANC’s Bid to Field Candidates After Missed Deadline

• The Democratic Alliance filed an application in the Electoral Court after the African National Congress had approached the court
• The ANC had approached the court on 4 September 2026 after the party failed to field candidates in six municipalities
• The ANC missed the IEC's candidate nomination deadline, with 181 candidates' details reportedly captured but not fully submitted

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG - The Democratic Alliance has moved to challenge the African National Congress's attempt to field candidates in six municipalities where the governing party failed to meet the Independent Electoral Commission's nomination deadline.

The DA filed papers before the Electoral Court on 9 September 2026, seeking leave to intervene in the ANC's application. The ANC had approached the court on 4 September 2026, requesting that its candidate nominations in the six affected municipalities be treated as validly submitted despite missing the IEC's 28 August cutoff.

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The DA maintains that the ANC, or any other party, cannot receive special treatment.

ANC cites system glitch after missing deadline

The ANC attributed the missed deadline to a technical error, claiming a glitch in the IEC's system left 181 candidates' details captured but not fully processed before the submission window closed. The party is seeking relief that would allow it to participate in the affected areas ahead of the 4 November local government elections.

The six municipalities in question are Ingquza Hill and Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape, where both ward and proportional representation candidate lists are at risk, as well as Mangaung, uMshwathi, Walter Sisulu, and Sundays River Valley. Missing representation in these areas could result in significant losses for the ANC ahead of the polls.

Source: Briefly News