The names have to be submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) by 9pm on Monday.

The governing party’s spokesperson Pule Mabe says the nomination process was followed by rigorous screening and interviews with regional panels and provincial list committees.

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“The ANC placed community involvement at the centre of the selection of ward candidates. This will ensure that ANC candidates are people who the community feels confident will represent them in local government.

“A critical component of the process was an assessment of the performance of various municipalities over the past five years,” Mabe says.

He adds the party has also opted for a new mayoral selection process.

The party’s NEC endorsed the stringent selection process over the weekend during a special sitting.

Under the new guidelines, regional and provincial structures will nominate 3 members who will be interviewed and screened before the selection of mayoral candidates.

Mabe says there will be a strong emphasis on qualifications, experience and gender equity. 

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“In some areas, ANC structures are also fielding candidates living with disabilities, members from the LGBTQI community, as well as various other sectors of society. The ANC’s commitment to non-racialism is a core principle and we must ensure greater compliance with this principle in our organisational processes.

“The ANC has committed to field a representative collective of candidates that will, once elected, tirelessly work to speed up the building of cohesive and safe communities, vibrant local economies, access to quality basic services and participatory, clean and developmental local government.”

The local government elections are pencilled for October 27 pending the outcome of a Constitutional Court decision which could see the polls pushed back to February 2022.