Several ActionSA members in the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality have demanded immediate explanations after discovering their names were omitted from the Electoral Commission’s certified ward councillor candidate list for the 2026 local government elections.
The omission affects candidates from six wards in the municipality. The error came to light when the IEC published its certified candidate lists on 16 September, following the nomination deadline of 28 August. Candidates who had copies of earlier lists say their names no longer appear in the IEC version.
“So, we took pictures and our names were appearing on the list. We all have a copy of that list. But it was amazing, sometime this week when the final list from IEC was published, we found that several candidates names are not on that list.”
The complaint was reported by Thabiso Moss and quotes a candidate from ward 18 describing how internal copies showed their names but the IEC’s certified list did not. ActionSA’s provincial secretary, Ofentse Kombe, said the omissions were an honest mistake and denied any malicious intent.
Party response and next steps
Kombe said the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC) discussed the issue and that the provincial chairperson and provincial secretary would engage directly with affected members and wards. He characterised the problem as errors arising from double capturing and erroneous capturing of candidates, and urged members not to attribute the mistakes to a single individual or to deliberate manipulation.
ActionSA has not provided a full list of the affected candidates or wards beyond the reference to six wards and the interviewee from ward 18. The IEC has also not been quoted in the reporting available to date on whether it will accept late corrections or how such discrepancies will be handled administratively.
What this means for voters and candidates
Omissions from certified candidate lists can have immediate consequences: excluded candidates may be unable to appear on ballot papers for the 2026 elections unless corrections are permitted. For local communities in Ramotshere Moiloa — where ward representation affects service delivery and municipal oversight — the absence of intended candidates could limit voter choice and sow confusion ahead of voting day.
Community activists and political observers in the North West often point to administrative lapses as a source of local political frustration. In this case, party members say they possess earlier internal documentation showing nominations, which they hope will be used to reverse the omission.
- Key dates:
Nomination deadline 28 August IEC certified lists published 16 September Members discovered omission Reported within the week of the IEC publication - Number of affected wards cited by party members: six.
- Named ward source quoted: Ward 18.
Procedural options and practical advice
Electoral law and IEC procedures allow for certain corrections during candidate certification, but these are usually bound by strict deadlines. Affected candidates and party structures should:
- Present original nomination documentation and any stamped receipts to the IEC as proof of valid submission;
- Request formal clarification from the IEC in writing and seek confirmation on whether amendments are permissible at this stage;
- Engage the party’s provincial structures to lodge a formal challenge and to ensure a unified approach for any appeals or requests for correction.
ActionSA’s provincial secretary framed the issue as an administrative mishap and said provincial leaders would meet affected members. Whether that engagement yields corrections before ballots are finalised will determine if the disputed candidates can still contest.
For voters in Ramotshere Moiloa, clarity from both ActionSA and the IEC is needed quickly to avoid uncertainty at polling stations. The municipality includes towns and settlements where ward councillors play a central role in service delivery; any delay or dispute over candidates risks distracting from campaigning on local service issues.
The IEC and ActionSA were approached for further comment but no additional details were available in the initial report. The situation will be monitored as the party and electoral authorities respond.
Reporting from the North West. The correspondent focuses on community and labour impacts of local political developments.
