1. PREAMBLE

1.1. Whereas Rule 3 of the ANC Constitution defines the Character of the ANC (and its values) as follows:

“3.1 The ANC is a non-racial and non-sexist and democratic liberation movement

3.2 Its policies are determined by the membership, and its leadership is accountable to the membership in terms of the procedures laid down in this Constitution.

3.3 The ANC also contests elections as a registered political party drawing its electoral support from all sections of South African society.

3.4 The ANC shall, in its composition and functioning, be democratic, non-racial and non-sexist and combat any form of racial, tribalistic or ethnic exclusivism or chauvinism.

3.5 While striving for the maximum unity of purpose and functioning, the ANC shall respect the linguistic, cultural and religious diversity of its members.

3.6 The ANC shall support the emancipation of women, combat sexism and ensure that the voice of women is fully heard in the Organisation and that women are properly represented at all levels.

3.7 The principles of freedom of speech and free circulation of ideas and information shall operate within the ANC.

3.8 Membership of all bodies of the ANC shall be open to all men and women in the Organisation without regard to race, colour or creed.

3.9 The ANC shall cooperate closely with religious bodies in the country and shall provide, on an interfaith basis, for the recognition of the spiritual needs of its many members who are believers.”

1.2. Whereas the ANC Constitution defines a deployed member or deployee as “ a member who accepts to perform certain duties and functions on behalf of the ANC in a representative capacity, in addition to his or her duties as a member”.

1.3. Whereas the ANC Constitution defines a public representative as “ a member who represents the ANC national, provincial or local government in terms of a contract of deployment entered into with the ANC ”.

1.4. Whereas Rule 25.4 of the ANC Constitution stipulates that “the ANC shall have jurisdiction to discipline any member, office bearer or public representative for committing any act of misconduct as contained in Rule 25.17 below as a member of the ANC/ and or by virtue of his or her contract of deployment and/or by virtue of his or her membership of any of the structures of the ANC”. Rule 25.17.20 defines misconduct for a public representative as breaching his or her contract of deployment concluded with the NEC. 

1.5. Whereas the ANC 52nd National Conference took a watershed resolution which states that “that we should strengthen list guidelines and processes for public representatives to enhance democratic participation, ensure that we select and deploy the best cadres for public office and involve the broader community in our candidate selection processes. We also need to ensure that we attract people with skills and ensure the broadest possible sectoral spread in our public representative corps. The current guidelines need to be strengthened to enhance fairness, internal democracy, accountability mechanisms and performance of our public representatives”. 

1.6. Whereas the ANC 53rd and 54th Conference noted the following key issues:

1.2.1 The need to deploy ANC cadres with the qualities outlined in Through the eye of a Needle as MPs, MPLs and councillors.

1.2.2 That the confidence in our public representatives is often undermined by their lack of capacity, values and ability to represent the people effectively and to oversee the work of government. 

1.2.3 That selection of candidates is often influenced by personal, business and other vested interests, rather than the qualities needed, or the support the person enjoys from the local community 

1.2.4 People who are popular in the ANC rather than the community, often win our nomination process. 

1.2.5 Our leaders act as representatives of the people, not only the ANC, and must therefore enjoy good standing in the community. Ward candidates especially must be upstanding citizens and enjoy broad support before being nominated.

1.7. Whereas the ANC 54th and 55th Conferences also steadfastly resolved that:

1.7.1. To establish a permanent Electoral Committee (EC) in the ANC, that is not composed of elected leadership but made up of comrades with no direct interest or conflict of interest in leadership positions, elected by the NEC, responsible for managing the nominations and election of ANC leadership at all levels.The tasks of such Electoral Committee should be to propose the rules and procedures for elections to the NEC, deal with disputes, screen candidates, order lifestyle audits if needed, and oversee the management of the nomination and election process.

1.7.2. The Electoral Committee (named Electoral Committee after IEC registered copyright for Electoral Commission) must revise selection guidelines to overcome some of manipulative practices such as parachuting candidates by some PECs and RECs, influencing screening committees and packing community meetings.

1.7.3. The Electoral Committee must develop the capacity to screen candidates from the ward level upwards.

1.8. These conference resolutions require an ANC candidate selection process that ensures that:

1.8.1. Organisational democratic processes are not compromised.

1.8.2. The ANC members select the best possible candidates to run government, and

1.8.3. The ANC consults with relevant stakeholders and the community to ensure their confidence and support for our candidates.

1.9. Therefore, considering the decline of voter support for the ANC as evident from the outcomes of the 2024 General Elections the following urgent actions must be undertaken:

1.9.1. 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.

1.9.2. Strengthening the role of branches as the basic organs of the ANC through which local government election campaigns should be propelled and rolled out to reach all corners of South Africa to ensure wall-to-all footprint and presence of the ANC.

1.9.3. The 2026 Local Government Elections Campaign of the ANC must revive the branches with support and guidance from the regional, provincial and national leaders and structures.

1.9.4. This effectively means that for the ANC electoral fortunes to improve, all election campaigns and particularly at local government level should emanate from and be rooted within our branches which must be functional, efficient and alive to the needs of the local people whom they serve.

1.9.5. The renewal of the ANC branches and that of its Leagues must be an all-inclusive and encompassing process which should guard against divisive tendencies of the selective and biased revival of the branch membership on factional basis.

1.9.6. The process to revive and renew the branches of the ANC and its Leagues should result in political programs to service the membership of the ANC and communities at large and no branches should be regarded as owned or fully controlled by certain leaders and factions.

1.9.7. The powers and duties of branches including all ANC members as enshrined in the ANC constitution must be 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.

1.9.8. The membership recruitment drive should focus on the quality of members who should join the ANC and there must be no gatekeeping to serve narrow factional interests in this regard.

1.9.9. A serious attempt should be made to bring back experienced members and leaders of the ANC and the MDM whose membership may have lapsed and gate keeping tendencies may have prevented them from renewing their membership.

1.9.10. Once fully revived and renewed, the ANC branches must be held accountable for ensuring successful campaigns and securing victory at ward level during the forthcoming local government elections in 2026.

1.9.11. 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.

1.9.12. The Electoral Committee should therefore submit a comprehensive report to the NEC on the scale of participation of ANC branches during the candidate selection process at regional, provincial and national level.

1.9.13. Tightening of the ANC local government candidate selection processes to ensure that we field the best candidates for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

1.9.14. Fundamental improvement on the capacity of our Councillors to provide strategic direction and oversight to municipalities.

1.9.15. Achieving the desired balance of representativity and the skills set to drive the ANC’s programmes and policies.

1.9.16. Selecting the best possible candidates to occupy mayoral and mayoral committee positions able to play the executive role required to drive the agenda of the developmental state at a local level.

2. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS CANDIDATES

2.1 A 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:

2.2.1. The History of the ANC

2.2.2. Building an organization

2.2.3. Understanding Government

2.2.4. Local Economic Development and sustainable development

2.3 Being ANC members in good standing at the time of nomination to the IEC.

2.4 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 perform 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.

2 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 EXPECTATIONS FROM ANC COUNCILLORS

4.1 ANC Councillors are deployed by the ANC to work in a municipality or ward as an elected representative of the people. Deployment is an honour and a privilege, and not a right. It can be withdrawn, or deployment can be changed, at any time that the ANC decides.

4.2 Councillors are expected to work hard and should have the capacity to execute ANC work, which impacts positively on efficiency and effectiveness in the council, and on the community.

4.3 The ANC expects its councillors to work tirelessly to serve the people, stay in constant contact with the people, consult them, represent their needs, and inform them about decisions and developments from Council.

4.4 ANC councillors must implement ANC policy and programmes by developing and overseeing municipal programmes, policies and by laws. This requires councillors to attend all ANC training and take responsibility for their own capacity and skills development.

4.5 ANC councillors must work hard to prepare and participate in Council debates and discussions to approve municipal development and service delivery plans and budgets and oversee and monitor the work of the municipality.

4.6 ANC councillors must work constructively as a team in Council and Caucus, attend meetings and participate fully in Council work.

4.7 For those designated or deployed as Mayors or Mayoral Executive Committee members, the ANC expects that they will serve the best interests of the people, implement the ANC’s development plans and programmes, be accountable and run a clean government, and deliver services as efficiently, and cost-effectively as possible.

4.8 Ward Councillors should be a resource to the people they represent and provide assistance and advice on any problem, or access to rights and services provided by the state. Ward councillors must live in the ward they represent.

4.9 The ANC will deploy persons who have the needed skills and expertise to effectively impact all council committees, in for example: finance, law, housing, water and sewerage, infrastructure, planning, transport, IDP and local economic development.

4.10 Councillors, mayors and MMCs are accountable to the structures of government and are expected to abide by all government rules, regulations as well as resolutions of Council that apply to their work and their conduct.

4.11 Councillors also account to their communities as well the ANC Caucus and the ANC constitutional structures on the work they do on behalf of and as representatives of the ANC constituencies in government.

4.12 Councillors must work hard to also build ANC branches and other community-based structures, organisations, non-governmental organisations and community participation forums in each ward to strengthen local development.

4.13 Councillors must observe the ANC and Councillor’s code of conduct and behave with loyalty and discipline as an ANC public representative.

4.14 Councillors must do everything with honesty and integrity, break no laws and tolerate no corruption.

4.15 Councillors must always promote the unity of the organisation.

4.16 The ANC respects the democratic outcome of elections. We shall not use our position as opposition to try and sabotage the work of government at the expense of the people. As opposition Councillors we still have to play all the roles outlined above but also play the role of an effective opposition. Where the ANC is in opposition in a Council, Councillors are expected to:

4.16.1 Represent the interests of our constituency and ensure that their needs are addressed by pushing for spending and delivery in our wards. If we succeed, we should claim that delivery as our victory.

4.16.2 Raise in Council and in public, the ANC programme and policy alternatives to that of the governing party.

4.16.3 Play the role of a constructive opposition – support programmes and budgets that reflect our policies and propose constructive alternatives to those that do not.

4.16.4 Work to ensure that the policies and laws passed by our democratic parliament are implemented.

4.16.5 Ensure effective oversight, transparency and accountability.

4.16.6 Focus on service delivery to the people, not petty political point-scoring. We should expose where the Municipality is failing in service delivery.

4.16.7 Organise and mobilise communities to ensure that the Municipality delivers to them – this work should be constructive for example make use of community forums, ward committees, community meetings etc. Avoid resorting to destructive protests that may result in the destruction of municipal property or conflict with the SAPS.

5 THE CALIBRE AND QUALITIES OF ANC CANDIDATES

5.1 To achieve the selection of the best group of Councillors to represent the ANC in local government, we need to apply the principles as outlined in the ANC document on leadership selection: ‘Through the Eye of a Needle.”

5.2 An ANC leader should understand ANC policy and be able to apply this under all conditions in which he or she finds himself or herself. This includes an appreciation, from the NDR stand-point, of the country and the world we live in, of the balance of forces, and of how continually to change this balance in favour of the motive forces of change.

5.3 A leader should constantly seek to improve own capacity to serve the people and should strive to be in touch with the people all the time, listen to their views and learn from them. A leader should be accessible and flexible; and not arrogate to himself the status of being the source of all wisdom.

5.4 A leader should win the confidence of the people in her or his day-to-day work. Where the situation demands, a leader should be firm; and have the courage to explain and seek to convince others of the correctness of decisions taken by constitutional structures even if such decisions are unpopular. A leader should not seek to gain cheap popularity by avoiding difficult issues, making false promises or merely pandering to popular sentiment.

5.5 A leader should lead by example and be above reproach in terms of political and social conduct – as defined by our revolutionary morality. For an example, a leader should act as a role model to ANC members and non-members alike. Leading a life that reflects commitment to the strategic goals of the NDR includes not only being free of corrupt practices; it also means actively fighting against corruption.

5.6 There are no ready-made leaders. Leaders evolve out of battles for social transformation. In these battles, cadres will stumble and some will fall. But the abiding quality of leadership is to learn from mistakes, to appreciate one’s weaknesses and correct them.

5.7 A leader should seek to influence and to be influenced by others in the collective. A leader should have the conviction to state own views boldly and openly within constitutional structures of the movement; and – without being disrespectful – not to cower before those in more senior positions in pursuit of patronage, nor to rely on cliques to maintain one’s position.

5.8 An individual with qualities of leadership does not seek to gain popularity by undermining those in positions of responsibility. Where such a member has a view on how to improve things or correct mistakes, he or she should state those views in constitutional structures and canvass for support constructively. A leader should assist the movement as a whole to improve its work and not stand aside to claim perfection out of inactivity.

5.9 The struggle for social transformation is a complex undertaking in which at times, personal interests will conflict with the organisational interest. From time to time, conflict will manifest itself between and among members and leaders. The ultimate test of leadership includes:

5.9.1 Striving for convergence between personal interests – material, status and otherwise – and the collective interest.

5.9.2 Handling conflict during ANC work by understanding its true origins and seeking to resolve it in the context of struggle and in the interest of the ANC.

5.9.3 The ability to inspire people in good and bad times; to reinforce members’ and society’s confidence in the ANC and transformation.

5.9.4 Winning genuine acceptance by the membership, not through suppression, threats or patronage, but by being principled, firm, humble and considerate.

6 GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR CANDIDATE SELECTION

“Through the Eye of a Needle” and various Conference Resolutions on organisational renewal oblige the ANC to apply the following principles in its candidate selection processes:

6.1 The controversial practice of slate politics that characterised leadership contestation in the run-up to and post the previous elective conferences should be abolished and declared serious misconduct.

6.2 Uprooting the culture of factionalism which will lead to the demise of the Organisation whilst promoting the principle of inclusivity as both paramount and sacrosanct.

6.3 That the process of branch nomination of the ward candidate must be preceded by a comprehensive discussion on “Through the Eye of a Needle” in order to guide the branch to analyse the challenges we face in local government and identify the most suitable candidates to represent the ANC and to lead society in a given area.

6.4 The exercise must find a balance between democratic practice within the ANC, engaging with society in general especially on ensuring the suitability and popularity of ward candidates, and the centrality of the organisation in the decision-making process.

6.5 All ANC candidates must agree to subject themselves to the discipline of the organisation, the rules of the selection process, and the decisions made.

6.6 The outcomes of the councillor evaluation process must be utilised in a manner to retain good skill and practice in the organisation; strengthen capacity where possible and eradicate weak links where necessary.

6.7 Meetings to report back to communities and to engage with their concerns must also be used as an assessment tool to gauge performance of existing ANC councillors who want to continue to represent the organisation.

6.8 The candidate selection process must seek to promote transparency, compliance with all applicable rules related to structures, as well as meticulous record keeping of all documents, correspondence and decisions made. A file must be kept by each executive committee or interview panel and must be presented to authorised higher structures on request.

6.9 Those engaging in any negative practices or pronouncements around the nomination and selection, should be disciplined using the ANC Constitution and Code of Conduct.

6.10 The process should ensure that the ANC policy on gender parity is applied and adhered to.

6.11 Consideration must be given to the selection of candidates able to win support in areas where the ANC does not have majority support

6.12 Consideration must also be given to those ANC members and supporters who are popular in communities and recognised as local leaders even if they do not hold any elected position in the organisation.

6.13 The process must guard against dormant/non-existent civic organisations who reappear/appear during the nominations process particularly in the civic arena and their status should be verified with their provincial structures.

6.14 The PR list selection process should be used to strengthen the expertise and skills set of our collective of deployees to each council. Ward candidates in weak ANC or opposition wards who are unlikely to win, may also be nominated for the PR list.

7 RULES FOR CAMPAIGNS BY CANDIDATES

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

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

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

7.4 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.

7.5 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.

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

7.7 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.

7.8 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.

8 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

8.1 The ANC Electoral Committee

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

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

8.1.3 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.

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

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

8.1.6 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.

8.1.7 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.

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

8.1.9 The Regional Interview and Vetting Panels (RIVPs) shall be approved by the Electoral Committee upon recommendation by the PLC in consultation with the PEC.

8.2 The Provincial List Committee (PLC)

8.2.1 All Provincial List Committees functionally report and account to the Electoral Committee.

8.2.2 The PLC members must be respected and disciplined members of the ANC and Alliance who may not stand for any elected positions in the ANC and shall not be available for nomination and selection as public representatives.

8.2.3 All PLC members must have a tertiary qualification coupled with political and/or government experience.

8.2.4 All PLC members must have no pending criminal charges or ongoing ANC disciplinary proceedings against them.

8.2.5 The PEC should nominate 3 senior ANC members who no longer occupy elected positions in the NEC or PEC or REC, with no direct personal interest in the outcome of the candidate selection process. At least 2 must be women.

8.2.6 Each of the Leagues’ provincial executives may also nominate one list committee member who meets the above criteria. They must be encouraged to nominate women.

8.2.7 Each of the Alliance partners plus Sanco may nominate one list committee member who meets the above criteria. They must be encouraged to nominate women.

8.2.8 The Electoral Committee and Provincial Secretary may interview potential PLC members if deemed necessary.

8.2.9 None of the above members may occupy leadership positions at national, provincial or regional level in their organisations.

8.2.10 The Provincial Secretary will provide administrative support for the PLC and will ensure that all organisational structures implement the processes and abide by the rules determined by the EC .

8.2.11 The Provincial Secretary or Convenor shall not sit on the PLC. A provincial staff member or volunteer must be appointed as list administrator to assist the PLC by the Provincial Secretary and approved by the EC.

8.2.12 The PLC oversees the nomination process in the province, administers appeals, vets candidates, presents ward candidates to the extended PEC for approval, works with the Regional Interview Panel to finalise the proposed PR list for each municipal Council and District Council, and presents draft lists to extended PEC for approval.

8.2.13 The PLCs and Administrators are responsible for the administration and implementation of these Nomination Rules and Processes at provincial levels.

8.2.14 The List Administrators will coordinate the work of the PLC and liaise with the EC and the RIVPs as well as provincial and regional secretaries to ensure that the nomination process is completed successfully.

8.3
The Regional Interview and Vetting Panel (RIVP)

8.3.1 The RIVP is set up by the Electoral Committee after consultation with the PLC as follows:

8.3.1.1 The REC shall nominate five impartial ANC supporters or members with significant and successful local government experience or expertise – as former mayors, councillors, MECs, ministers, MPs, MPLs in local government committees, senior municipal managers, or academics.

8.3.1.2 All RIVP members must have a tertiary qualification coupled with seasoned political experience.

8.3.1.3 All RIVP members must have no pending criminal charges or ongoing ANC disciplinary proceedings against them.

8.3.1.4 None of the RIVP members may occupy leadership or executive positions at national, provincial or regional level or be a current councillor or municipal employee.

8.3.1.5 None of the RIVP members may have a close relationship with any candidate that will come before the RIVP for consideration.

8.3.1.6 At least 50% of all RIVP members must be female.

8.3.1.7 The Regional Secretary provides administrative support and staff to the RIVP.

8.3.2 The PLC may interview all the potential members of the RIVP if deemed necessary.

8.3.3 The RIVP will analyze challenges and weaknesses in each municipality and be responsible for ensuring that the ANC has the capacity to run an effective and clean municipality.

8.3.4 The RIVP will interview all PR nominees that meet the cut-off number of candidates needed for each municipal council in their region, order and balance lists according to the rules, and present and motivate these to the extended PEC.

9 WARD CANDIDATE NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

There are six (6) key processes in selecting ward candidates:

9.1 The BGM to nominate 4 candidates

9.2 The BEC to present 4 candidates to the community meeting

9.3 The BGM to nominate a Ward Councillor

9.4 Screening by the PLC

9.5 Ratification by the Extended PEC

9.6 Approval by the Extended NEC

9.1. The BGM to Nominate 4 Ward Councillor Candidates – STEP 1

9.1.1 The BEC shall convene a BGM to nominate 4 Ward Councillor Candidates.

9.1.2 The BEC shall provide the details of the BGM for the candidate selection process including date, time and venue to all members of the community.

9.1.3 The notice of the BGM must be advertised at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting on community radio, on WhatsApp or SMS to all ANC voters captured on the cloud or house cards, to all ANC members in the ward.

9.1.4 The notice of the meeting must clearly state that the purpose of the meeting is to nominate 4 ANC Ward Councillor candidates for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

9.1.5 The start time and venue of the meeting must be clearly indicated on the notice and the agenda of the community meeting.

9.1.6 The members of the ANC should be called upon to nominate 4 candidates to be considered for the ward councillor position.

9.1.7 At least two (2) of the nominated candidates must be female.

9.1.8 If there are more than four (4) candidates that are nominated, voting for the top 4 should be conducted by show-of-hands.

9.1.9 The top four candidates with most hands must be nominated and at least two (2) of these should be female with most votes amongst women.

9.1.10 The four (4) nominated candidates must each develop a short CV (200 words) which must be distributed to participants at the meeting or must be read out at the meeting.

9.1.11 Each candidate must answer the same 4 questions in ten minutes, (What do you see as the most pressing issues in the ward and municipality? What do you want to achieve as councillor in this ward? What is your track record in this community? Why should we vote for you?).

9.1.12 Each candidate should then answer three questions from the meeting participants.

9.1.13 The branch electoral officer, appointed by the BEC, should run the entire process. None of the electoral officers may be candidates or close relatives of candidates.

9.1.14 The REC must deploy an observer to monitor that the proper process is followed and to clarify the guidelines if needed.

9.1.15 The REC and BEC must take video footage and pictures of the community meetings which shall serve as evidence for dispute resolution and disciplinary processes should disruptions occur during these sessions.

9.2 Presentation of 4 Ward Councillor Candidates to the Community

9.2.1 The BEC shall convene a community meeting for the purpose of presenting and introducing the 4 Ward Councillor Candidates nominated by the BGM to the community.

9.2.2 The BEC shall provide the details of the Community Meeting for presentation and introduction of candidates including date, time and venue to all members of the community.

9.2.3 The notice of the Community Meeting must be advertised at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting on community radio, on WhatsApp or SMS to all ANC voters captured on the cloud or house cards, to all ANC members in the ward

9.2.4 The BEC shall present the profiles and credentials focusing on skills, capacity and educational qualifications of each of the 4 candidates at the community meeting.

9.2.5 All the 4 candidates must be recused during the session for questions, inputs and recommendations.

9.2.6 The participants at the community meeting shall be afforded an opportunity to ask questions, make recommendations regarding the suitability and capacity of each of the 4 candidates without fear or favour.

9.2.7 The participants at the community meeting shall express support for each of the four candidates by show-of-hands and the electoral officer shall count votes for each of the four candidates.

9.2.8 The participants at the community meeting are allowed to nominate one additional candidate by show-of-hands should they not be entirely satisfied with the four candidates presented by the BEC.

9.2.9 Should the community nominate an additional candidate, the least favoured candidate amongst the four presented by the BEC shall be removed from the list and be replaced by the community candidate.

9.2.10 The BEC shall close the community meeting and inform participants that the ANC Branch shall take final decisions on the nomination of the Ward Councillor Candidate taking into account all inputs and recommendations made during the community meeting.

9.3 Final Nomination by the BGM – Step 3

9.3.1 All members in good standing are eligible to vote for nomination of candidates. Branches not in good standing may still nominate as long as 50% of the members who are in good standing are present.

9.3.2 The purpose of the BGM is to select and nominate the ANC ward Candidate from one of the four candidates who were endorsed by the community.

9.3.3 Where there is no ANC branch the PEC should delegate a neighbouring branch or the relevant REC, to call the nomination and community meetings. They must invite all ANC members who live in the ward for the nomination meeting and call ANC supporters to community meeting.

9.3.4 Where there are only a few ANC members in good standing, the community and members nomination meetings may be combined.

9.3.5 All members of neighbouring branches whose VDs have been included in your branch may vote as well as long as they are registered in the part of the VD that has been moved. Use a new VD map from the ANC Cloud or sms their ID to the IEC at 32810 to check their VD.

9.3.6 Nomination may only be made by a BGM with quorum.

9.3.7 The BGM must be chaired by the chair or deputy chair, or secretary (if others are candidates).

9.3.8 The branch electoral officer, appointed by the BEC, should run the elections from the community meeting until the BGM nomination. None of the electoral officers may be candidates or close relatives of candidates.

9.3.9 The REC must deploy an observer to monitor that the proper process is followed and to clarify the guidelines if needed.

9.3.10 If a BGM fails to quorate three times, nominations must be made at the third meeting, with a note attached that the meeting failed to quorate.

9.3.11 Every candidate should have an agent who is allowed to observe every part of the process from drawing up the ballot paper, to advertising the vote, to marking the voters roll, the ballot issue and counting process. Agents may not observe actual voting by branch members (same role as party agent in elections).

9.3.12 The BGM should be requested to consider the unanimous nomination of the candidate most favored by the community by show of hands.

9.3.13 Should there be no consensus on the nomination of the candidate most favored by the community, the process should proceed to voting by secret ballot.

9.3.14 A ballot should be printed with all candidates’ names in alphabetical order. Each voter receives one ballot.

9.3.15 A voter may vote only for one candidate. The vote must be secret and voting should not be visible to agents or organizers.

9.3.16 Votes must be counted immediately in front of agents and announced to anyone present.

9.3.17 The candidate who receives the most votes at the BGM shall become the ANC Ward Councilor candidate.

9.3.18 The one with the second most votes will be the alternate in case the first one is disbarred later or decides not to take up the candidacy.

9.3.19 All ballots must be kept safe in a sealed box for 3 months together with the marked voters roll by the electoral officer.

9.3.20 The full result slip must be sent to the PLC.

9.3.21 Where there is no ANC branch, the community vote results shall be used as the final means of the selection of the ward candidate.

9.3.22 The REC and BEC must take video footage and pictures of the BGMs which shall serve as evidence for dispute resolution and disciplinary processes should disruptions occur during these sessions.

9.4 Screening by the PLC – Step 4

9.4.1 The name of the successful candidate will be sent to the PLC for screening and vetting to ensure the candidate will not bring the ANC into disrepute.

9.4.2 The candidate with the most BGM votes will become the ANC Ward Councillor candidate, unless vetting and screening raise serious issues.

9.4.3 The one with the second most votes will be the alternate candidate in case the first one is disbarred later or decides not to take up the candidacy.

9.4.4 If there is no problem raised by vetting and screening or appeals, the name is forwarded to the extended PEC for ratification.

9.4.5 A short CV for the winning candidate must be filled in on the nomination form together with the details of all the processes. An acceptance of nomination form must also be signed by the candidate.

9.4.6 The PLC will conduct vetting using a candidate declaration form and hear appeals against or for any nominee. They may take further steps to investigate or interview a candidate if evidence is presented that justifies it.

9.4.7 Should the vetting fail, the candidate must be informed in writing of the reasons by the PLC and the alternate candidate will be vetted and presented.

9.4.8 All PLC members must declare any conflict of interest before the commencement of each meeting and members with conflict of interest must be recused when the affected agenda items are discussed.

9.5 Ratification by the extended PEC – Step 5

9.5.1 The extended PEC is made up of directly elected PEC members plus 2 ex officio per region and 5 per Alliance partner, Sanco and Leagues (Leagues’ 5 include the 2 ex officio PEC members), must approve the ward candidate unless there are legitimate objections to their candidacy that is supported by 80% of the extended PEC. The reasons for the decisions must be recorded in full in case there is an appeal to the EC.

9.5.2 The PLC must thereafter send the list of ward candidates approved by the extended PEC and is signed by the Provincial Secretary to the EC.

9.5.3 All lists of candidates approved by the extend PEC must be published on the ANC website and any disputes arising out of this should be lodged with the relevant structure within 48 hours.

9.5.4 The extended PEC must meet regularly during the period provided to complete each municipality as soon as nominations are submitted to avoid backlogs in the candidate selection process.

9.6 Ratification by the extended NEC – Step 6

9.6.1 As a final step the extended NEC which is made up of the elected NEC members plus 5 per province and 5 per League (including the ex officio members of the NEC) , and 15 per Alliance partner + Sanco, will approve the final list of ward candidates and it will be formally ratified by the NEC.

9.6.2 Changes at this stage may only be made on very serious grounds and only if 80% of the extended NEC agree to a change.

9.6.3 The list of ward candidates is then signed off by the chair of the EC upon approval by the NEC.

9.6.4 The EC must ensure that all lists are ready for submission at least two weeks prior to the IEC registration date.

9.6.5 The Secretary General shall submit and upload ANC candidate names on the IEC portal in the presence of the Secretary of the Electoral Committee, Chair of the PLCs and Provincial Secretaries who shall confirm the validity of the final lists.

9.6.6 No changes may be made at this stage unless someone passes away, is disqualified or withdraws as a candidate. Should this happen the person who was the alternate ward candidate should automatically become the ward candidate.

10 NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS FOR PR COUNCILLORS

10.1 Branch nomination – Step 1

10.1.1
Every branch may nominate a maximum of six candidates as PR councillors who will add to the capacity of the ANC to drive development and represent the people of the municipality.

10.1.2 Each nominee must have the support of at least half the members present at the BGM constituted for ward and PR nomination – voting is done by show of hands for each candidate and members may vote as many times as they wish.

10.1.3 Nominees for the PR list do not necessarily have to reside in the ward but must be ANC members who reside in the municipality/sub-region or in the case for metropolitan councils, in the respective region.

10.1.4 The top three males and top three females go through as the branch nominees, provided that they each received more than 50% of the branch vote. If a majority of the top 6 candidates are female they go through without change.

10.1.5 If less than 6 received the required 50% of votes, only accept the ones that did, provided that at least half must be women. Ward candidate nominees may also be nominated as PR councillors, especially if they are standing in wards we are likely to lose.

10.1.6 The chair of the meeting should complete the branch nomination form for PR and ward and ask the branch secretary, and any deployees present to sign the nomination forms and register.

10.2 Interviewing, vetting, ordering – Step 2

10.2.1 A Regional Interview and Vetting Panel (RIVP), made up of comrades who have local government experience and expertise will do interviews, ordering and balancing of lists.

10.2.2 The panel is appointed by ANC Electoral Committee in consultation with the PLC following nomination by the REC. The mandate of this committee is to ensure that we select councillors with the necessary capacity to run a representative, effective and clean local municipality.

10.2.3 All RIVP members must declare any conflict of interest before the commencement of each meeting and members with conflict of interest must be recused when the affected agenda items are discussed.

10.2.4 All branches may submit a maximum of six nominees for consideration on the municipal PR list and these are added together to make a first draft list according to number of nominations received.

10.2.5 The first 10% of the required list should be kept as is in terms of the nominations received, unless a nominee is excluded for reasons of conduct or track record. It should be at least 50% female and if it is not the top 10% of female candidates should be moved up.

10.2.6 The rest of the list can be used to balance representativity and capacity needs for the ANC in that council and this balance should be reflected in the electable portion of that list (use previous PR results to determine the likely number of councillors we will have).

10.2.7 The following should be considered for each candidate and for the list as a whole:

10.2.7.1 Capacity to drive oversight and implementation of the ANC’s programme in government, especially for positions of MMCs and Mayor.

10.2.7.2 Representation of sectors, areas, national groups, youth, disability and gender.

10.2.7.3 Every second name must be female unless the number of male ward candidates (in ANC wards) exceed the female ones in which case the PR list must be used to achieve 50/50 in the overall balance of candidates for ward and PR positions. If the wards have 80% male ANC candidates, the PR list should be 80% female.

10.2.7.4 Track record in the community and movement, any allegations or convictions that may bring the ANC into disrepute.

10.2.7.5 Experience and expertise and performance in local government.

10.2.7.6 CVs should be considered when making decisions. If needed an interview process can also be used by the RIVP.

10.2.8 Once the municipal draft lists are drawn up, the district list for directly elected councillors should be drawn up from good candidates who could not be accommodated in the local council list, or who enjoy support from branches across local municipalities.

10.2.9 The draft list is shared with the REC so that they can prepare comments and positions for their representatives at the extended PEC. They have no powers to intervene before the extended PEC.

10.2.10 Any candidates who were nominated as ward candidates by a BGM, but did not make it as the community’s choice, may be considered as a PR candidate if the RIVP or the PLC or the extended PEC feels that they offer valuable experience or expertise, or representation, and could serve the ANC successfully as a PR councillor.

10.2.11 Any ward candidates in opposition wards may also appear on PR lists as they are unlikely to be elected as award candidate. The ANC must have a candidate in every ward. In opposition wards the requirement that our candidate must live in the ward may be disregarded, and we should select people who may have general appeal to voters in opposition wards.

10.3 Submission of the draft list to the Provincial List Committee – Step 3

10.3.1 The RIVP submits its lists for every municipality in its region, as well as for the district or metro municipality, to the PLC in a formal meeting.

10.3.2 The PLC may not change any names but may carry out any further vetting if necessary.

10.4 Ratification of Lists by the Extended PEC – Step 4

10.4.1 The relevant RIVP together with the PLC then present and motivates the lists and ward candidates for each council to the extended PEC

10.4.2 If any changes are decided, they must be motivated based on legitimate reasons, the RIVP for that list must be given a chance to counter-motivate, and the change must be approved by 80% of the members present.

10.4.3 All discussion and the vote count must be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. If the extended PEC or NEC happen on Zoom, the recording of the meeting must be kept for six months.

10.4.4 The extended PEC may not remove and replace anyone but may insert someone higher up in the list if 80% support the move. No one may be taken off the lists unless they are disqualified by the vetting process or voted out by 90% of the extended PEC.

10.4.5 Reasons for changes must be given in writing to the EC and may be provided to the extended NEC or any appeals process.

10.4.6 The PEC must ratify the list agreed on and submit it to the Electoral Committee.

10.4.7 Appeals will only be considered at this stage if they can prove that the process was undermined in a manner that materially affected the outcome of the candidate selection, or if they can prove that a specific candidate has already or may bring the ANC into disrepute.

10.5 Approval by the Extended NEC meeting – Step 5

10.5.1 The PLC must submit the PEC approved lists to the EC.

10.5.2 Draft lists shall be presented by the EC to the extended NEC. Changes may only be made if 80% of delegates agree, by inserting a candidate.

10.5.3 No one may be taken off the lists unless they are disqualified by the vetting process, or they are voted out by 90% of the extended NEC.

10.5.4 The extended NEC shall adopt and approve the final lists which must be ratified by the NEC immediately.

10.5.5 Any last-minute changes due to drop out or objections must be processed by the Electoral Committee who will insert the next candidate who meets the criteria.

11 SELECTION OF MAYORAL, SPEAKER AND CHIEF WHIP CANDIDATES

11.1 The Executive Mayors of all the Metropolitan Municipalities and Secondary Cities shall be appointed exclusively by the National Officials taking into consideration the issue of gender representation at all levels.

11.2 Qualifications, Experience and Skills requirements for candidates: Mayor, Speaker, Chief Whip

11.2.1 Qualifications

11.2.1.1 Tertiary qualification from an Accredited Institution

11.2.1.2 At least 3 years as an MP, MPL or Councillor

11.2.1.3 Must be a citizen of RSA

11.2.1.4 Must be at least 24 years old

11.2.1.5 Must not have any criminal convictions that would disqualify them from holding public office

11.2.1.6 ANC membership in good standing

11.2.2. Skills and Experience

11.2.2.1 Proven leadership and decision-making abilities

11.2.2.2 Good communication and public speaking skills

11.2.2.3 Excellent understanding of ANC Policies and local government processes

11.2.2.4 Strategic planning and problem-solving skills

11.2.2.5 Ability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders

11.2.2.6 Financial management and budgeting skills including governance

11.2.2.7 Ability to manage and motivate a team

11.2.2.8 Robust negotiation and conflict resolution skills

11.2.2.9 Effective time management and organizational skills

11.2.3. Knowledge of local and national policies and legislation, specifically and preferably:

11.2.3.1 The Constitution

11.2.3.2 The Municipal Systems Act,

11.2.3.3 The Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) (knowledge of the PFMA would suffice),

11.2.3.4 The Municipal Structures Act

11.2.3.5 The Municipal Demarcation Act

11.2.3.6 The Municipal Electoral Act

11.2.3.7 The Electoral Act

11.2.3.8 The Municipal Property Rates Act

11.2.3.9 The Organised Local Government Act

11.2.3.10 The Labour Relations Act

11.2.3.11 The Basic Conditions of Employment Act

11.2.3.12 The Occupational Health and Safety Act

11.3 With regards to all local and district mayoral positions the REC, shall recommend three candidates per municipality to the Provincial Officials from amongst the nominated councillor candidates.

11.4 No candidate who has served two consecutive full terms as a Mayor may be considered for a third term in line with the Municipal Structures Act.

11.5 At least two of the three mayoral candidates recommended by the REC must be female.

11.6 Current first term female mayors on the councillor lists must automatically be included amongst the three mayoral candidates recommended by the REC and concerted efforts to ensure that female mayors also serve two full terms shall be made subject to performance.

11.7 Before the national and provincial officials decide on the final candidate, they must ensure that candidates are interviewed by duly appointed interview panels comprised of officials and NEC or PEC members.

11.8 If the officials are not satisfied that some of the candidates meet the criteria, they may add at least two more names to be considered through interviews.

11.9 All candidates shall be subjected to the same interview process.

11.10 The Chair of the Electoral Committee or his/her nominee supported by the Secretary of the Electoral Committee shall have an observer status during the interviews of the mayoral and Speaker candidates.

11.11 The Provincial Officials shall appoint Chief Whips and Speakers following recommendations of three candidates for each of these positions by the REC. At least 2 of each of the recommended candidates must be female.

12 APPEALS AND OBJECTIONS

12.2 The following dispute resolution framework and appeals procedure shall be applicable during the 2026 Local Government Candidate selections process: