Thursday, 15 October 2026

The Constitutional Court ruled that the IEC's rejection of the ANC's candidate lists for several municipalities be set aside, so the affected lists must be included in ballot papers before the 4 November local elections.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula called for a review of the DA's participation in the government of national unity after the ruling, a move governance expert Sam Koma called opportunistic and a diversion.

Koma argued that removing the DA would leave the ANC below the simple majority needed to pass next year's national budget, so he doesn't expect the ANC to take that route.

An election law expert said the IEC is unlikely to seek a postponement, and that the court should have made clear the ruling applies equally to every party in the same position.