Battle for Joburg heats up

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has confirmed that 546 of the 732 registered political parties will contest the 2026 local government elections scheduled for November. A total of 142,072 candidates have been nominated to run for the 10,526 council seats nationwide. This marks a 43% increase in candidate numbers compared to the 2021 local government elections, which saw 99,000 nominations. The IEC chairperson, Mosotho Moepya, noted this rise reflects heightened political engagement and participation in the upcoming elections. Among the major cities, Johannesburg stands out as the most competitive, with 80 political parties vying for seats. Tshwane follows with 72 parties, eThekwini with 70, Ekurhuleni with 69, and the City of Cape Town with 55. Other prominent municipalities include Emfuleni with 43 parties, Polokwane with 40, Rustenburg, Nelson Mandela Bay, and Capricorn District, each with 38 parties. The distribution underscores the intensity of competition in key urban centers. The candidate pool is largely composed of individuals aged between 36 and 55, making up 58% of all nominees. The largest age group within this range is those aged 41 to 45, representing 16% of the total. Men dominate the candidate list, comprising nearly two-thirds of all nominations, while women account for around 38%. This gender disparity is even more pronounced in ward elections, where men make up 65% of the nominations and women 35%. Of the 142,072 candidates, 40,241 were nominated for proportional representation (PR) seats, and 100,856 were nominated for ward seats. Additionally, 975 independent candidates have been listed for ward seats. The IEC will now review these nominations to ensure they meet legal and procedural requirements. This includes verifying that acceptance forms have been properly signed, deposits have been made by political parties and independent candidates, and that independent candidates have provided evidence of voter support. However, the IEC has identified 2,274 candidates who were captured on its online nomination system but did not complete the formal submission process by the deadline of 5 pm on Friday, August 28. These candidates included 480 for PR seats and 1,794 for ward seats. They were associated with 45 political parties. The Commission clarified that these candidates, though recorded, have not officially submitted their nominations and thus are not eligible to participate. The IEC emphasized that only those who submitted their applications through the official channels will be considered valid candidates. The IEC is currently processing the submissions that were formally received. It will require some parties and independent candidates to provide additional documentation, such as copies of identity documents and signed acceptance forms. Candidates whose names appear on multiple lists or as both independent and party-list entries will receive notifications. These measures aim to ensure compliance with electoral laws and maintain the integrity of the election process. The IEC expects to publish the final list of qualified candidates on September 16. This date marks the culmination of the candidate verification process, following which the elections will proceed as planned. The Commission will continue to adhere strictly to legal frameworks throughout the process.