South Africa's Constitutional Court hears ANC candidate-list dispute

South Africa's Constitutional Court heard arguments on October 12 in the African National Congress' bid to restore its candidate lists in six municipalities.

The dispute concerns the party's participation in local government elections scheduled for November 4, 2026. The Electoral Commission says the ANC missed the deadline for final submission of the lists. The Electoral Court previously rejected the party's challenge.

The ANC attributes the problem to technical difficulties with the online nomination system. The commission disputes that account, saying the system was functioning and that uploading information did not replace a final submission.

At the hearing, representatives argued over the relationship between electoral legislation and the electronic system's procedure, The Citizen reported. The commission opposes the ANC's application for permission to appeal the earlier decision.

SABC reported that the commission is asking for the application to be dismissed and warns that changes to the lists could disrupt election preparations. It maintains that all parties must follow the same rules. The Constitutional Court's published schedule listed the case for October 12.