Mantashe urges calm as ANC candidate-list dispute heads to court

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has urged party members to remain calm while a court considers the dispute over local-election candidate lists that were not submitted on time.

The ANC says a technical problem affected submissions in six municipalities, most of them in the Eastern Cape.

Mantashe spoke on Sunday on the sidelines of an engagement with faith-based organisations at City Hall in Qonce, also known as KuGompo.

He said 97% of the party's candidates had been submitted successfully and 3% remained outstanding.

“That is why we have a court case because our report is that there was a technical glitch in the system and there are 45 parties affected,” Mantashe said.

Eastern Cape ANC to receive report

Eastern Cape ANC provincial chairperson Oscar Mabuyane said the provincial executive committee would meet on Monday to discuss the matter.

Mabuyane said the province had completed and adopted its lists before sending representatives to assist with their registration at the party's national office.

He said a forensic process announced by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula would help the provincial leadership account for what happened.

The ANC's explanation of a technical glitch remains the party's account. The court process will determine the legal issues surrounding the missed submissions.

No court finding on the dispute had been announced by Sunday evening.