DA rubs salt in ANC’s wounds after Electoral Court defeat

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has used the African National Congress (ANC)’s latest legal setback to highlight its own preparations for the November 4 local government elections, saying it has managed to place a candidate in every ward.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, DA Federal Council chairperson Ashor Sarupen said the party was the only one in the country to have a candidate in every ward.

“Only the DA has achieved a full national offering to the voters of South Africa in this election, because the DA is serious about being the biggest party in South Africa,” he said.

The statement came hours after the Electoral Court rejected the ANC’s attempt to have 181 excluded candidates reinstated.

READ: Parties warn IEC against doing ‘favours’ for ANC regarding list submissions

The DA was among the parties opposing the ANC’s application, which challenged the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)’s decision over candidate submissions that had not been completed by the August 28 deadline.

Sarupen also used the statement to praise the DA’s internal candidate-selection process, saying it had enabled the party to meet the IEC’s requirements. He said the party had met the prescribed deadlines while ensuring that its nominees complied with the IEC’s certification requirements.

“We are immensely proud of our internal systems, and the DA team which has delivered this achievement,” he said.

The ANC’s court challenge involved candidates from six municipalities, including Mangaung in the Free State, uMshwathi in KwaZulu-Natal and four municipalities in the Eastern Cape.

The governing party had argued that the relevant candidate details had been entered on the IEC’s system before the deadline, but that technical problems prevented the process from being completed. The commission disputed this explanation.

The ANC has indicated that it is considering further legal action following the ruling.

READ: Lungisa accuses Mbalula of ordering his removal from ANC list

Sarupen said the DA’s national candidate coverage was part of its drive to become South Africa’s biggest political party. Post-2024, the party expressed its ambition of becoming the country’s biggest party, and Sarupen says they are ready for the November poll.

“The DA stands ready to contest the upcoming election in every ward, and with voters’ support to win and deliver,” he said.

The IEC has certified 136,790 candidates for the local government elections, with contestants set to compete for ward and proportional representation seats across the country.

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