ANC failed to register 181 candidates for South Africa’s local elections — Daily Maverick

In South Africa, the African National Congress failed to register 181 councillor candidates for the local elections scheduled for 4 November 2026. This was reported by Daily Maverick. In the Eastern Cape province, the party reportedly submitted its list to the national office only minutes before the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s deadline.

Requirements for candidates

The ANC also updated its commitment concerning the matric certificate for candidates without this document. They must promise to obtain it within 12 months of taking office, otherwise they may lose their mandate.

The decision was made amid years of warnings about the capacity of local councillors. The publication notes that it had previously become known that more than 300 councillors in KwaZulu-Natal province are functionally illiterate.

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Election campaign on social media

At The Gathering 2026 forum, participants discussed the increasingly visible role of social media in election campaigning. Helen Zille built a viral strategy around a video in which she rows a boat among potholes.

FF+ leader Corné Mulder commented on claims that his party may use paid influencers to work with young Black voters. He did not directly deny this, but did not confirm it either, saying it was difficult to tell whether paid influencers were part of the campaign.

Separately, police in Kempton Park are investigating the deaths of nine women who have been found dead since July. According to the publication, law enforcement officers are determining whether one person may be behind these cases.