South Africa’s voters will see the African National Congress appear on ballot papers in several municipalities where the party’s candidates had previously been excluded, after the Constitutional Court ordered the Electoral Commission to set aside its rejection of the party’s lists. The ruling, handed down in an appeal brought by the ANC, directly shapes what citizens will be able to choose from when they go to the polls in the Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026.
For the public, the judgment matters because it determines whose names appear on the ballots in the affected municipalities, and therefore which options are available to voters on Election Day. The dispute began when the ANC alleged that a technical glitch on the Electoral Commission’s online submission system had prevented the party from submitting 181 candidates by the official deadline. The Court found that the Commission’s decision to reject the ANC’s party lists for several municipalities should be set aside, and that the affected lists must be included in the ballot papers ahead of the 4 November 2026 elections.
The Electoral Commission, the public body charged with running the country’s elections, responded on Thursday by saying it notes the judgment. “The Commission respects the authority of the Constitutional Court as the arbiter of final instance and will give effect to the order of the Court,” the Commission said.
In its statement, the Commission acknowledged the constitutional obligation that binds it. “While the Commission’s position throughout the proceedings has been guided by its interpretation of the applicable electoral legislation and the need to ensure consistent application with prescribed electoral processes, it recognises its constitutional obligation to implement the Court’s decision,” the statement read.
The Commission also asked for cooperation from those involved in the electoral process. “The IEC will communicate further details regarding the implementation process once the necessary assessments have been completed. All political parties and stakeholders are urged to cooperate with the Commission during this period,” it said.
Reassurance to voters formed a central part of the Commission’s message. “The Commission reassures the public that preparations for the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections remain a priority. It will continue to discharge its constitutional mandate independently, impartially and in accordance with the law,” the Commission said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the ruling lands at a busy moment in the election calendar, with logistics already well advanced. On Wednesday, before the judgment was noted publicly, the Commission had confirmed that the printing of ballot papers was underway, with more than 66% of the 79 million ballots already printed. “The production is expected to conclude by Sunday, 18 October 2026. The Commission has distributed the bulk of non-security election materials to local municipalities in readiness for the special voting on 2 and 3 November and Election Day on 4 November,” the Commission said.
That scale underscores what is at stake for ordinary voters. Some 79 million ballots must be produced and distributed, special voting is scheduled for 2 and 3 November, and Election Day follows on 4 November. The Court’s order means the Commission must now fold the reinstated ANC lists into that process, and it has promised further details on implementation once its assessments are complete.
For citizens in the affected municipalities, the practical effect is straightforward: the ANC’s candidates will appear on the ballot papers after all, restoring a choice that had been removed by the earlier rejection. The Commission has committed to carrying out the Court’s order while continuing its preparations independently, impartially and in accordance with the law, with the full electoral timetable still on course for 4 November 2026. How smoothly the reinstated lists are integrated into ballots already rolling off the presses remains the open question of the coming days.