Andile Moshoeshoe|Published
The African National Congress (ANC) is facing mounting scrutiny over its candidate-selection processes as disputes in the Eastern Cape expose deepening internal divisions, while opposition parties intensify efforts to challenge the governing party’s once-formidable political stronghold ahead of the next local government elections.
The controversy has been compounded by a Constitutional Court ruling with potentially far-reaching implications for the ANC’s nomination procedures, particularly amid allegations that some members were unlawfully excluded from candidate lists submitted to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
On Thursday, the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of the ANC, which had approached the apex court after the Electoral Court rejected its request to submit 181 candidate names after missing the IEC’s deadline. The judgment also paved the way for 32 other parties that found themselves in a similar situation.
The legal development has renewed scrutiny of the party’s internal democratic processes and placed secretary-general Fikile Mbalula under increasing political pressure, amid reported discontent in the Ingquza Hill and Port St Johns sub-regions.
In both areas, disagreements over candidate nominations have strained relations between grassroots structures and the party’s national leadership. Attempts by ANC delegations to engage affected structures, clarify the disputed nominations and restore cohesion have reportedly encountered resistance from local formations.
The crisis presents the governing party with the challenge of restoring confidence in its candidate-selection processes while preventing internal grievances from undermining its electoral preparations and further eroding its support base.
The controversy gained further momentum after ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji accused unnamed elements within the party of manipulating candidate lists and removing nominees’ names without explanation.
Delivering the OR Tambo Memorial Lecture in Mbizana, Malatji invoked the ANC’s liberation history and the legacy of stalwarts such as Oliver Reginald Tambo, but warned that the party’s contemporary politics had become vulnerable to what he described as clandestine interference.
“Consider the case of Alfred Nzo mayor Tsileng Sobuthongo, who has been working tirelessly in the service of the community. Her name was on the candidate list when she went to bed, only for her to discover the following morning that it had mysteriously disappeared,” Malatji said.
“But we cannot be surprised because they politic through courts … that is what they are best at,” he said.
After delivering the memorial lecture, Malatji travelled to Kokstad as part of the ANC Youth League’s campaign to mobilise support ahead of the elections.
Meanwhile, developments elsewhere in the Eastern Cape have highlighted the growing challenges to the ANC’s authority and the vulnerability of its traditional support base.
Port St Johns has emerged as another flashpoint following the removal of Mayor Cebisa Mazuza through a motion of no confidence brought by ANC councillors, who accused her of leadership failures. Mazuza denied the allegations, and Nelson Nontlevu has since taken over as mayor.
The ANC’s provincial leadership condemned the move, describing it as unauthorised and contrary to party discipline. It said the decision had not been sanctioned by any party structure.
The dispute has also raised questions about the legality of the council’s actions. Eastern Cape Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Zolile Williams reportedly considered the mayor’s removal irregular and unlawful. The dispute follows earlier tensions over the council’s decision to extend the contract of acting municipal manager Mandisi Ngxekana despite opposition from the MEC.
Opposition parties turn up the heat in Tambo country
While the ANC battles internal divisions, Mbizana is becoming an increasingly contested political terrain as opposition parties step up efforts to consolidate support in the town and surrounding rural communities.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has maintained a visible presence in the area, while the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has intensified its mobilisation drive, seeking to capitalise on residents’ frustrations over the pace of development and persistent infrastructure deficiencies.
Shortly after Malatji’s departure, the MKP visited Silangwe village in Ward 27, near Nkantolo, the birthplace of liberation icon Oliver Reginald Tambo. The party reportedly welcomed more than 500 new members.
The recruitment drive highlighted the intensifying contest for political support in a community whose historical significance remains closely tied to the ANC’s liberation narrative.
MKP secretary general Sibonelo Nomvalo said the influx of new members reflected a growing political awakening among residents who believed the ANC had taken their support for granted.
He accused the governing party of invoking Tambo’s legacy during election campaigns without translating that history into tangible improvements in the lives of communities associated with the liberation struggle.
“Imagine having to walk for an hour along dusty roads to reach the birthplace of one of the country’s most revered liberation struggle icons, only to find that electricity remains unreliable and basic infrastructure is virtually non-existent.
“In my view, this reflects the failure of Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Alfred Nzo District Mayor Tsileng Sobuthongo, whom I accuse of neglecting ordinary people while prioritising their own interests,” Nomvalo said.
He said residents in parts of the Eastern Cape were forced to carry the bodies of deceased people across rivers because bridges were unavailable. Schoolchildren, he added, risked their lives crossing swollen rivers on their way to school.
Nomvalo also criticised the province’s persistent underdevelopment, saying residents continued to recount experiences of hardship and inadequate infrastructure on the television programme Cutting Edge.
The MKP’s mobilisation drive underscores the challenge facing the ANC as it seeks to defend its electoral support in areas where its liberation history remains politically significant, but where opposition parties are increasingly making development failures and service delivery central to their campaigns.