The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has firmly clarified that no political party or independent candidate will be granted an extension to capture candidate details following the official close of nominations for the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE).

The commission confirmed that the deadline strictly concluded on Friday, August 28 at 17:00, and that it has no intention of offering additional opportunities to any contesting entities.

This in direct response to a statement issued by the ANC, in which the party claimed that its submission process was disrupted by technical difficulties on the IEC’s candidate-capture system on the final day of submissions.

According to the ANC, these technical glitches impacted several political parties, leaving a small number of the ANC’s entries incomplete.

"This is a technical and administrative matter, and it is being handled through the Commission's established processes," stated ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu.

She added that the party remains confident that the outstanding candidate entries will be successfully finalised in coordination with the electoral body.

However, the IEC defended the integrity of its infrastructure, clarifying that the Online Candidate Nomination System remained fully operational and available to users throughout the entire nomination period, including up to the exact cut-off time on Friday.

To ensure candidates had ample time to navigate the system without interruption, the Commission highlighted that the online portal was opened early on June 21, long before the official nomination period formally commenced on proclamation day on August 7.

The IEC noted that the specific intricacies and disputes surrounding the candidate nomination process will be formally tabled and discussed within the National Political Liaison Committee, which comprises all political parties represented in the National Assembly.

Reiterating its commitment to a transparent, impartial, and credible electoral process, the IEC announced it will host a comprehensive briefing on Wednesday.

The media briefing, set to take place at Election House in Riverside Office Park, Centurion, will outline the final outcomes of the candidate nomination stage and detail the upcoming milestones for the upcoming LGE.