DURBAN, Friday 9 October 2026 — The African National Congress has terminated the membership of seven individuals in KwaZulu-Natal who are contesting the 4 November local government elections as independent candidates or representatives of rival political parties.
The decision affects candidates in five municipalities, including KwaDukuza, Ndwedwe, Impendle, Inkosi Mtubatuba and Inkosi Langalibalele.
ANC provincial spokesperson Sifiso Sonjica confirmed the decision, saying the individuals had chosen to contest elections against the organisation after failing to secure nominations through its candidate-selection processes.
The development highlights tensions over candidate selection as political parties prepare for municipal elections in one of South Africa’s most competitive provinces.
Seven candidates identified
The ANC identified Mfana Gumede, who is contesting Ward 6 in Inkosi Mtubatuba as an independent candidate.
In KwaDukuza, Chellappa Naicker is contesting Ward 17 under the Independent Alliance, while Veli Luthuli is contesting Ward 15 for the same party.
Zinhle Magwaza is contesting Ward 14 in Ndwedwe under the Democratic Alliance.
Two other individuals, Nokuvela Ngcobo and Thabani Makhaye, are contesting independently in Impendle.
Ngcobo is standing in Ward 4, while Makhaye is contesting Ward 6.
The seventh individual, Themba Xaba, is contesting Ward 19 in Inkosi Langalibalele under the ABCD Congress.
The ANC said all seven had previously been associated with the organisation but had chosen to stand against its officially selected candidates.
ANC invokes party constitution
Sonjica said the party’s constitution did not permit members to contest elections against the ANC while retaining their membership.
He said accepting candidacy under another political organisation or as an independent against the ANC constituted a repudiation of party membership.
The ANC consequently regarded the seven individuals as no longer belonging to the organisation.
The party said they were no longer authorised to represent it or speak on its behalf.
Sonjica maintained that the affected individuals had participated in candidate-selection processes but had not secured the nominations they sought.
He said the party respected their constitutional right to contest elections but maintained that such decisions carried consequences for their ANC membership.
Candidate-selection tensions ahead of elections
The decision comes less than a month before South Africans vote in the local government elections.
Candidate selection has been a significant organisational challenge for several political parties, with disputes arising over nominations, proportional representation lists and ward candidacies.
The ANC has faced separate legal challenges concerning candidate submissions in other provinces.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the latest membership terminations affect municipalities where political competition involves established parties, smaller organisations and independent candidates.
The affected wards are located across different parts of the province, including coastal and inland municipalities.
The decision could influence local campaign organisation and competition for votes previously associated with ANC candidates.
However, the party has not provided evidence establishing how many supporters might follow the affected individuals to their new political platforms.
Membership termination does not remove candidates from ballot
The ANC’s decision concerns the individuals’ membership of the party.
It does not, by itself, disqualify them from contesting the municipal elections under other political parties or as independents.
Their candidacies remain subject to the Electoral Commission’s applicable requirements and any lawful electoral processes.
The ANC has not announced a court application seeking to prevent the seven individuals from contesting.
Nor has the party established that their participation in the elections is unlawful.
The distinction is important because political-party membership rules and the legal requirements for election candidacy operate under different frameworks.
ANC calls for unity behind selected candidates
Sonjica urged ANC structures and supporters to back the candidates selected through the party’s nomination processes.
He said the organisation would continue campaigning for improved municipal governance, financial accountability and service delivery.
The party maintained that its official candidates had emerged through branch and community nomination procedures.
The affected candidates’ individual responses to the termination announcement were not available in the reporting reviewed.
With voting scheduled for 4 November, the ANC will now seek to consolidate support behind its official candidates in the affected municipalities.
The extent to which the membership terminations influence ward-level contests will become clearer as campaigning continues and election results are declared.
