The ANC has taken its dispute with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) over candidate nominations to the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein.

The party is challenging the IEC’s decision to exclude ANC members who missed the 28 August deadline for submitting candidate nominations for the upcoming local government elections.

The ANC is seeking leave to appeal the IEC’s decision, which was taken on or around 1 September 2026.

In its court papers, the party argues that the dispute centres on the interpretation of the word “submitted” in the Municipal Electoral Act.

The ANC says delays in submitting nominations were linked to problems with the IEC’s online nomination system.

However, the IEC has said it has no record of a glitch on its side.

The affected candidates are from six municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and the Eastern Cape.

The ANC argues that the law provides political parties with two ways to submit nomination documents, either by hand or electronically, and says the same legal standard should apply to both methods.

The party is asking the Electoral Court to uphold its appeal and allow the affected candidates to participate in the elections.

The saga has caused much unhappiness within the ANC, with Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula under mounting pressure.

According to weekend newspapers, the blunder sparked an internal backlash, with several ANC National Executive Committee members demanding answers from Mbalula.

The local government elections are scheduled for 4 November 2026.