Johannesburg – African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula broke down in tears and briefly collapsed during a media briefing on Thursday, 15 October, after the Constitutional Court overturned a ruling that had excluded 181 of the party’s candidates from the upcoming local government elections.
Mbalula became visibly emotional after the court ruled in the ANC’s favour in its dispute with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), allowing the affected candidates to contest the 4 November elections.
During the briefing at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, Mbalula appeared overwhelmed and struggled to continue speaking before telling journalists: “I’m not feeling well”.
He subsequently slumped and received assistance from ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu, who took over the briefing as he received medical attention.
[BREAKING] ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has collapsed after delivering an emotional address following the party’s court victory to have 181 candidates included on the ballot for the 4 November local government elections. Tune in to #eNCA on #DStv403 for updates. https://t.co/IoNju7pU2F
— eNCA (@eNCA) October 15, 2026
Reflecting on the legal battle, Mbalula said the previous month had been difficult for the party. “I thank the national officials of the movement who carried this matter with patience. And patience was not easy,” he said.
The Constitutional Court’s decision overturned the Electoral Court’s earlier ruling and directed the IEC to take the necessary steps to include the affected nominations on ballot papers. The dispute arose after the ANC’s candidates were excluded because the party had failed to complete the final submission process on the IEC’s online nomination system before the deadline.
WATCH | An emotional ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula escorted out of the Constitutional Court as he was addressing the media after the party’s court victory to have 181 candidates included on the ballot for the November 4 local government elections. Click on the link for more: https://t.co/YNNQJI2O4L
— Times LIVE (@TimesLIVE) October 15, 2026
The affected candidates are in six municipalities across the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State.
Mbalula defended the party’s legal challenge, arguing that the dispute concerned voters’ constitutional rights. “When this movement believed that a right had been taken from our people, we walked up this hill with papers in our hands,” he said, according to Mail & Guardian.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
