ANC Blames Internal Processes for Election Losses
Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane says delays in the list process hurt the party's campaign as IEC counting continues.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in City Hall
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ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane blamed the party's internal processes for its losses in the 4 November 2026 local government elections. The IEC is still counting votes, with the ANC losing support in metro municipalities across the country.
Why it matters
The ANC's internal list and candidate processes, including the removal and court-ordered reinstatement of a Nelson Mandela Bay candidate, are now under scrutiny as the party faces declining support. The IEC's rejection of 181 ANC candidates for late submission has added to the disputes around the election.
The CSIR projects the ANC will finish with about 30% of national support once counting is complete, and the IEC rejected 181 ANC candidates for alleged late submission. The final figure has not been confirmed while the IEC continues to count votes.
The players
Nomvula Mokonyane
Mokonyane is a senior ANC leader and deputy secretary-general who has served in several cabinet posts in South Africa's post-apartheid governments.
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)
The IEC is South Africa's body responsible for managing and certifying national and local elections, including vote counting and candidate registration.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
The CSIR is a South African government-funded research body that has produced election projections based on vote-counting data.
Andile Lungisa
Lungisa is an ANC figure whose removal from the Nelson Mandela Bay candidate list was reversed by a court order.
The details
Mokonyane attributed the late campaign peak to delays in the ANC list process, and the party abandoned its tradition of announcing mayoral candidates at the last minute by submitting shortlists for each metro before the elections. The ANC took the IEC to the electoral court over the rejected candidates and later won a Constitutional Court ruling on the eve of the elections.
Timeline
March 2026: The ANC Eastern Cape provincial conference was interdicted, leaving the province almost leaderless for six months.
4 November 2026: Local government elections were held.
5 November 2026: Mokonyane blamed ANC internal processes for the losses.
Political Context
The ANC's losses in metro municipalities follow the erosion of its urban support first seen in the 2016 local government elections, when it lost control of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay. Mokonyane's comparison to Brazilian President Lula da Silva suggests the party expects a later recovery, though opposition parties are likely to point to the list-process failures as evidence of deeper organisational weakness.
For residents of metro municipalities, the outcome determines which party runs local councils and mayoral offices in the coming term. Voters in Nelson Mandela Bay and other metros should watch for the final certified results from the IEC before councils are formed.
The takeaway
The ANC's list-process failures show how internal administrative delays can shape electoral outcomes as much as campaign messaging. Readers should follow the IEC's final certified results to see how the metro councils are ultimately formed.
Further reading
For more on how municipal leadership is shaping up after the vote, see City Hall coverage across South Africa.
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