ANC will not name mayoral candidates before 4 November local elections

The ANC has abandoned plans to announce its mayoral candidates for South Africa’s 4 November 2026 local elections, after repeatedly postponing the announcement. Party chief whip and elections head Mdumiseni Ntuli said candidates had been interviewed and assessed, but the limited time before voting led the party to withhold its selections. The ANC wants all candidates to return to campaigning and avoid disappointment over nominations disrupting its work on the ground. The decision follows a Constitutional Court order requiring the Independent Electoral Commission to include 181 councillor candidates on ballots across six municipalities.