Mantashe confident ConCourt will rule in ANC’s favour in lists case

African National Congress (ANC) National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe says he is confident that the Constitutional Court will rule in the party’s favour over the non-submission of candidate lists affecting 181 potential ANC councillors.

The Electoral Court earlier dismissed the party’s application to have the deadline extended for the registration of candidates.

The ANC has blamed a technical glitch for its failure to register the 181 candidates.

Mantashe says he hopes that the highest court in the land will see logic over the matter. He was speaking in Cacadu in the Eastern Cape, where he led an ANC door-to-door campaign ahead of the local government elections.

“We are hopeful that the Constitutional Court will come to a different decision because the worst thing that can happen is to disenfranchise people. It’s not about the ANC; it’s about the people who must vote, and if you can’t give them the right to vote, you are disenfranchising them. I think the Constitutional Court will see logic.”

ANC National Chairperson Cde Gwede Mantashe conducted a door-to-door campaign in Wards 01 and 02 of the Chris Hani Region, Eastern Cape, engaging residents directly on their service delivery concerns, community priorities and expectations of local government.… pic.twitter.com/blOmFwHXd3

— ANC – African National Congress (@MYANC) September 24, 2026

Meanwhile, Mantashe says he believes there are individuals who are using party members to destabilise the ANC in the Eastern Cape.

His comments reflect recent court challenges of some ANC members against the party.

On Tuesday the High Court in Makhanda dismissed two members’ application to nullify candidate lists of the party ahead of the local government elections.

Earlier this year the ANC failed to hold its Eastern Cape elective conference after it was successfully interdicted.

“If you can scrutinise those members. If you want those whole Eastern Cape lists not to contest elections, obviously you are an agent of something. It’s not yourself, so we are not looking at those individuals. We are looking at who is behind those individuals. Why are they interested in funding them on this issue which is malicious, and if you allow that malice to take place? You must appreciate that you are going to fail. There is a heavy attack on the Eastern Cape.”