ANC candidate purge exposes tensions over vetting and factionalism

The ANC has disqualified over 350 councillor candidates due to vetting issues as it prepares for the local elections on November 4, 2026. The exclusions, based on criminal records and failure to meet qualification criteria, raise questions about the selection process. Political analyst Kenneth Kgwadi described this situation as a continuation of factionalism within the ANC, calling for broader intervention to address internal divisions.