The ANC has launched a powerful call to action, urging all party structures, leagues, and alliance partners to close ranks for a “decisive victory” in the upcoming local government elections.

With the election just 19 days away, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula directed provinces, national structures, and “every capable member” to immediately deploy resources to assist the regions and districts in the six municipalities affected by the landmark ruling of the Constitutional Court upholding the ANC’s appeal and directing the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to include previously rejected ANC candidates on the ballot.

The apex court's order restores 181 ANC candidates across six municipalities, namely Sundays River Valley, Walter Sisulu, Ngquza Hill, and Port St Johns, in the Eastern Cape; uMshwathi in KwaZulu-Natal and Mangaung metropolitan municipality in the Free State.

The dispute originated in September when the ANC approached the Electoral Court after the IEC had rejected 181 of its nominations (comprising 130 PR ballot and 51 ward ballot candidates). The technical glitch occurred when electronic submissions failed to clear the final step on the IEC’s system before the strict August deadline.

Mbalula acknowledged the heavy emotional and administrative toll of the events, noting that it inevitably disrupted the local campaign machinery.

"Those structures have carried a heavy thing since the end of August," Mbalula explained. "It took its toll on comrades and on communities, and it will have disorganised machinery that must now be fired up and driven hard. They are not to be asked to recover those weeks alone."

He emphasised that the anxiety of losing candidates chosen democratically by local branches resonated deeply across the entire movement, invoking the foundational liberation principle: "An injury to one is an injury to all."

Addressing the residents of the affected municipalities directly, Mbalula expressed “deep regret that their democratic choices were thrown into doubt” but he praised their unwavering loyalty.

"For seven weeks you were made to wonder whether the choice you made in your own communities would appear on your ballot paper... We thank you for your patience and for a trust that did not waver," he stated.

Mbalula extended gratitude to the ANC's legal team, the party staff, and the leadership structure, praising ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa for his “unwavering insistence” on following the law to defend the fundamental rights of voters.

The ANC formally thanked the Justices of the Constitutional Court for treating the urgent application with the “seriousness it deserved”.

Mbalula noted that while the party awaits the Court's full written reasons, the ANC is committed to studying them closely to help build a future electoral framework that is inherently "pro-enfranchisement".

The party also commended the IEC for its steadfastness, praising the body for discharging its duties under immense pressure, openly defending its regulatory mandates, and moving swiftly to implement the court's restorative order.