The African National Congress (ANC) has finalised its local government candidates lists in seven provinces except for the Eastern Cape and the North West, party secretary general Gwede Mantashe announced on Sunday.

"We are happy that the ANC candidates lists is processed [and] has been largely influenced by our people on the ground and where necessary there was political intervention to uphold the principals of our movement," Mantashe said , addressing a media briefing at the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg central.

He said the candidates lists had women in the majority.

"Not only do the candidates lists from various provinces largely reflect gender balance, continuity, generational mix and new faces, but show how rigorous our processes have been."

The gender balance is 51,6% in Gauteng, and 58% are people who were in local government before. Women ward candidates are at 41% with the youth represented by 12%.

"In the Northern Cape, average gender representation is 52%, continuity is 42,4%, youth representation 24,8%."

Limpopo gender representation is at 51,07%, continuity at 38,5%.

KwaZulu-Natal has 48% women representation.

"We have fallen short in gender balance in KZN because there challenges, especially in far north of KZN getting women elected into positions is very difficult."

Western Cape has a 50% women representation. Mpumalanga also had 50% of women representation and 48% continuity which was the same as in the Free State.

"Eastern Cape and North West have been given until Wednesday to finalise the list."

Four party members in the Alfred Nzo region, Eastern Cape launched a lawsuit against the ANC in the past week, in a dispute over a candidate list.

The group approached the Mthatha High Court on Tuesday, submitting that the decision to hold the list conference on Tuesday prior to the verification of properly constituted ANC branch meetings was illegal.

They further said the conference should not have gone ahead prior to rulings on matters being appealed, and that an audit report determining the number of delegates in respect of each branch was invalid and should be set aside.

The interim order was granted, prohibiting the ANC from submitting candidate names for local government elections.

The ANC, which was opposing the application, would have to provide reason on Thursday next week, why the interdict should not be made a final order.

Mantashe said three of the four had been suspended from the party, pending disciplinary hearings.

"We have put up a team of ANC cadres with a legal background to investigate actions of litigation against the ANC, particularly in the Eastern Cape, which we are convinced is aimed at excluding the ANC from the electoral processes."

Mantashe also stressed that candidates should not expect to be appointed as mayors just because their names were the first ones on the list or because of their positions in the regional branch.

"It does not work that way, it's not about the position you hold within the ANC. That does not guarantee you a seat as a man. Anybody can be elected as a mayor even if you were number 20 on those lists.

"They should realise that when joining the ANC, you are submitting yourself to ANC Constitution, principles, policies and values voluntarily," Mantashe said.