THE POLITICAL ARENA | ANC candidate crisis: Is factionalism breaking the party? - TimesLIVE

The ANC is facing an unprecedented candidate-list crisis after failing to register hundreds of candidates across municipalities in the Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal before the November 4 local government elections.

With the Electoral Commission of South Africa set to release the candidate lists for public inspection, questions are mounting over what went wrong in the ANC, whether factionalism is undermining the party’s organisation and what the crisis could mean for key municipalities including Johannesburg, Buffalo City and Mangaung.

Business Day political editor Hajra Omarjee is joined by TimesLIVE and Sunday Times digital politics editor Lizeka Tandwa and Business Day political correspondent Thando Maeko, who examine the ANC’s organisational troubles, secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s role, party president Cyril Ramaphosa’s responsibility, and the growing battle for influence before the November local government elections and the ANC’s 2027 succession race.