ANC’s Mayoral Hope in Mangaung Uncertain After Candidate List Dispute

The African National Congress (ANC) faces a serious hurdle in Mangaung ahead of the local government elections on 4 November 2026. The party’s list of councillor candidates, including those who could influence who becomes mayor, has been partly excluded because the ANC missed a key deadline to finalise submissions with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

It all comes down to a technical step in the election process. While the ANC says its officials uploaded candidate details on time, they claim a system problem stopped them from completing the final submission. The IEC denies any glitch occurred and says the ANC simply did not finish the process before the 28 August deadline. Because of this, 181 ANC candidates across six municipalities, including Mangaung, were left off the official candidate list.

In Mangaung, this mainly affects the ANC’s proportional representation (PR) list. PR councillors represent the party as a whole, not just local wards, so missing these names could weaken the ANC’s presence on the council. Political analyst Lily Phokontsi explained that without these PR candidates on the ballot, the ANC risks losing important seats that reflect its overall support, which could limit its influence in council decisions, including choosing the mayor.

The ANC challenged the IEC’s decision in the Electoral Court but lost. Now, the party is taking the matter to the Constitutional Court, asking for an urgent hearing scheduled for 7 October. The outcome is still uncertain, and the final decision could significantly affect the ANC’s control in Mangaung and other municipalities.

It’s important to note that the legal fight concerns the lists of councillor candidates, not direct nominations for mayor. In South African metros like Mangaung, councillors elect the mayor after the election, so the party’s ability to fill council seats matters a lot.

With less than two months before the election, this dispute adds a layer of unpredictability to the local political landscape in Mangaung and beyond.