Kamogelo Moichela|Published
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula broke down in tears and collapsed yesterday after the Constitutional Court ruled in the party’s favour, reinstating 181 councillor candidates excluded from contesting the November 4 local government elections.
Overcome with emotion while addressing journalists at Constitution Hill, Mbalula struggled to continue speaking before appearing lightheaded and sitting down, prompting ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu to take over the briefing and say he would be receiving medical attention.
Before the briefing was interrupted, Mbalula revealed the personal toll of the legal battle, saying he had endured sleepless nights over the prospect of affected candidates being unable to contest the elections under his leadership.
“I had sleepless nights thinking about this,” he said.
The ruling marked a significant legal victory for the ANC, which had challenged the exclusion of the 181 candidates through the courts.
Mbalula used the opportunity to thank the party’s leadership and organisations that supported its legal challenge, describing the outcome as a collective effort rather than the achievement of a single office.
“The constitution has spoken and it has spoken for the people of this country. Let me begin with thanks, because this was never the work of one office,” he said.
He also praised ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa for his leadership during what he described as a difficult period, saying the party had been urged to pursue lawful avenues to resolve the dispute.
“I thank the President [Cyril Ramaphosa] of the ANC for his leadership through the hard month and for insisting at every turn that this movement take the lawful road and no other,” Mbalula said, fighting back tears.
Bhengu thanked journalists for attending the briefing before confirming that Mbalula was receiving medical attention.
"Thank you very much for being here and for always coming out to engage us," she said.
The court’s decision clears the way for the 181 candidates to be reinstated, removing a major obstacle for the ANC ahead of the November 4 elections.
Reacting to the ruling, the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) said it respects the Constitutional Court’s decision .
IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says, “We will do everything within our power to ensure that both the letter and spirit of the order as issued is implemented. We don’t have a full reasoned judgment before us. But preliminarily, it appears that the court would have taken issue with the fact that the click as final requirement was given more pre-eminence than the substantive constitutional rights. But I think the more responsible way to deal with this is first to get the reasons whenever they come, so that a proper legal analysis can be given.”