LGE 2026 | Mantashe calls for calm amid ANC candidate list debacle

A catastrophic administrative blunder threatens to strip the governing political force of its dominance across key strongholds.

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The ANC faces an absolute disaster as the party is set to miss out on contesting the upcoming local government elections across four critical municipalities in the Eastern Cape.

The devastating failure hits the ruling organization directly in heartland strongholds, including Ingquza Hill, Walter Sisulu, Sunday’s River Valley, and Port St. Johns.

High-stakes panic swept through the ranks as top officials moved quickly to contain internal warfare.

Leadership issued an urgent call demanding that members immediately desist from blaming one another over the catastrophic oversight while legal proceedings unfold in court.

Party representatives confirmed that ninety-seven percent of all candidates were submitted successfully, leaving a crucial three percent completely outstanding.

Officials insist that a massive technical glitch in the system crippled the submission process, impacting forty-five political parties across the board.

Party leaders maintain that pointing fingers will never produce a viable solution during an active crisis.

In response to the unprecedented collapse, ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula formally instituted a full forensic investigation to expose how candidate lists failed to reach electoral authorities on time.

Leadership within the Provincial Executive Committee declared that the forensic probe ordered by Fikile Mbalula will hold key actors accountable.

Provincial leaders made it clear that final registration took place at national headquarters, emphasizing that the province completed its entire internal process on schedule.

The provincial structure concluded candidate selection, held an extended committee meeting, adopted the complete lists, and dispatched officials to ensure full registration.

The provincial secretary and regional secretary directly led the delegation responsible for executing the registration mandate.

A mandatory leadership meeting scheduled for tomorrow will mark the first time officials assemble since the crisis erupted.

The committee expects a full formal briefing to ensure leadership speaks exclusively from a verified position rather than spreading internal gossip.

The party’s desperate legal battle to save its candidate lists moves to the Electoral Court on Tuesday.

LGE 2026 | Mantashe calls for calm amid ANC candidate list debacle

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