1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. In preparation for the forthcoming local government elections in 2026, the Electoral Committeerevised the rules and the guidelines for candidate selection process and presented these to the NEC.

1.2. The National Executive Committee of the ANC has approved the rules and guidelines for the 2026 candidate selection process and mandated the Electoral Committee to communicate these to all members and supporters of the ANC as well as the public.

1.3. The NEC reviewed and approved these rules and guidelines in its quest for the rebuilding, strengthening and renewal of all ANC structures, especially branches to ensure a credible and inclusive candidate selection process for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

1.4. The rules were strengthened and improved to ensure that powers and duties of branches including all ANC members as enshrined in the ANC constitution are fully restored and
respected to ensure that we have political programs which are developed and implemented by branches with supervision from higher constitutional structures of the ANC.

1.5. It is the NEC’s clarion call that all branches of the ANC must participate in the candidate selection process because this becomes a litmus test of the existence and capacity of the ANC in each region, province and ultimately at national level.

1.6.The review process enabled the ANC to tighten its local government candidate selection processes to ensure that we field the best candidates for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

1.7.The revised rules are therefore aimed at achieving a fundamental improvement on the capacity of our Councillors to provide strategic direction and oversight to municipalities.

1.8. The rules have therefore been crafted to deliberately achieve the desired balance of representativity and the skills set to drive the ANC’s programmes and policies.

1.9.The 2026 candidate selection processes are primarily about selecting the best possible candidates to occupy councillor, mayoral, speakers, chief whips and mayoral committee positions who are able to play the executive role required to drive the agenda of the developmental state at a local level.

2. SELECTION CRITERIA

2.1 The minimum requirement to qualify is that candidates must possess a matric qualification and/or have the capacity, experience, education or expertise that will enable them to make a constructive contribution within the municipal council. The requirement for a matric qualification may be waived by the Electoral Committee under exceptional circumstances.

2.2 All candidates must have personally or virtually attended and completed the four OR Tambo Leadership School online modules before being registered with the IEC:

2.1. The History of the ANC

2.2. Building an organization

2.3. Understanding Government

2.4. Local Economic Development and sustainable development

2.3 All candidates must be ANC members in good standing at the time of nomination to the IEC.

2.4 Candidates must possess a proven track record of commitment to and involvement in the democratic movement and/or government.

2.5 Have no criminal record or criminal charges brought by the NPA (this excludes political-related crimes committed before April 1994). Private prosecutions are excluded unless these result in criminal convictions by the courts of law.

2.6 No candidate shall be eligible for nomination if he/she has been found guilty by a Disciplinary Committee for contravening the ANC Code of Conduct, and had their membership suspended for any period in the last ten years. This rule applies also where a member is awaiting the outcome of a disciplinary hearing or an appeal.

2.7 No candidate shall be eligible for nomination if he/she is temporarily suspended pending the outcome of a court case or disciplinary hearing.

2.8 No candidate shall be eligible for nomination if his or her case has been finalised by the Integrity Commission and the NEC has approved and implemented the IC’s recommendation for a suspension of membership or stepping aside from leadership or public office.

2.9 Those who are already public representatives or members of government executives, must achieve satisfactorily in their performance review.

2.10 All candidates must agree to vetting of criminal records and qualifications, and make financial and other interest declarations, before final nomination.

2.11 Candidates must agree to lifestyle audit or other investigation to be conducted by reputable accounting and law firms if ordered by the PLC or EC.

2.12 Candidates must agree to accept organisational decisions and abide by the ANC and Electoral Codes of Conduct.

2.13 Candidates must agree to sign the deployment contracts which bind them to be loyal to the decisions of the ANC including redeployment and recall as the circumstances such as performance or lack thereof may dictate from time to time.

3. BALANCING THE LISTS

The ANC lists must:
3.1 Deliver the diversity of the required skills, experience and capacity.

3.2 Be representative of all national groups, considering municipal demographics.

3.3 District lists should contain a fair geographical spread throughout each region.

3.4 Reflect the liberation movement character, including ANC members in Alliance and key sectors of society.

3.5 Achieve 50% or more representation of women, in line with Rule 6 of the ANC constitution with every second candidate a female throughout the list.

3.6 Reflect a mix of youth and age with at least 30% and 10% of each list comprised of the youth between 25 to 35 and 36 – 40 years old respectively. Should there be exceptional circumstances requiring the nomination of a candidate who is less than 25 years old, the Branch shall submit motivation for consideration by the PLC.

3.7 Include people from different sectors, people who are living with disabilities, and members of the LGBQTIA+ community.

3.8 For continuity and government experience, at least 70% of the candidates must have previous experience in any sphere of government, as successful and effective public representatives, members of the executive, or as officials employed in government, any time in the last 31 years. This does not mean retaining 70% of current councillors. It means casting the net as widely as possible to find all the best talent we have deployed over the years in all parts of government.

3.9 Achieve 50% candidates with the expertise we need, for example: qualifications or experience in priority areas of economic development, rural or social development, safety and security, infrastructure development, public finance, law, international relations, etc.

4 RULES FOR CAMPAIGNS BY CANDIDATES

4.1 Candidates may campaign for support during the week before the BGM and community meetings.

4.2 Candidates and their supporters may do door to door work and phone canvassing, also hold sectoral,
and public or house meetings.

4.3 Candidates may be interviewed on radio and use free social media.

4.4 Candidates and their supporters are not allowed to conduct negative campaigns against other comrades and doing so shall result in disqualification from the list process.

4.5 To ensure that money plays no role in the candidate selection process, candidates and their supporters may not produce T-shirts, media, branding of any object, banners, pamphlets or posters. They may not engage in any campaign that relies on donations or spending own money, with the exception of paying for meeting venues.

4.6 Candidates may not pay any member or supporter to campaign for them.

4.7 Candidates found using money or dispensing patronage to buy votes will be disqualified from the candidate selection process and expelled from the ANC following internal disciplinary measures.

4.8 Candidates who engage in factional activities, disruption of Community meetings and BGMs or other ANC meetings and programs shall be immediately disqualified by the Electoral Committee upon assessment of available evidence.

7 The ANC Electoral Committee and its structures

7.1 The Electoral Committee was appointed by the NEC in 2020 and therefore accounts directly
to the NEC.

7.2 The Electoral Committee proposes rules to the NEC, oversees the process and makes final
decision regarding all disputes and appeals.

7.3 The Electoral Committee does not get directly involved in the nomination process but
provides oversight and ensures compliance with the rules approved by the NEC.

7.4 The Electoral Committee includes members of the Leagues and Alliance.

7.5 Members of the Electoral Committee are not allowed to stand for nomination as public representatives or other elected positions in the ANC.

7.6 The Electoral Committee must be comprised of members committed to unity and renewal, who do not support factions and with a track record of integrity and service, and a good understanding of what is required of public representatives and leaders of the ANC.

7.7 The Secretary of the Electoral Committee manages the implementation and coordination of the process and liaison with the ANC structures, the Provincial List Committees, and the Agency appointed by the EC.

7.8 The Electoral Committee in consultation with the PEC shall recommend the appointment of the Provincial List Committees (PLCs) for ratification by the NEC.

7.9 The Electoral Committee is pleased to announce that the NEC has approved all the Provincial List Committees except for the Western Cape as follows: