Eastern Cape court dismisses urgent bid to nullify ANC candidate lists for 2026 local polls

The ANC has welcomed the Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda’s dismissal of an urgent application challenging its candidate lists for the 2026 local government elections, and has urged Eastern Cape members to close ranks ahead of the 4 November poll.

SEE | Battleground ‘26: The local government elections

Judge Motilal Rugunanan on Wednesday dismissed an application brought by two party members against the Eastern Cape ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC), which sought to nullify the party’s councillor and mayoral candidate lists.

Full reasons for the judgment had not yet been issued when the ANC released its statement on Wednesday.

The two ANC members, from branches in the Chris Hani and Alfred Nzo regions, had approached the court demanding that the lists be set aside.