South Africa: Lungisa's Assault Conviction Central to ANC's Nelson Mandela Bay Mayoral Battle

What the report says

Andile Lungisa’s bid to become the ANC’s mayoral candidate in Nelson Mandela Bay has become a legal and internal party dispute after the party’s vetting process questioned his eligibility. According to Daily Maverick, the former ANC hopeful was removed from the proportional representation candidate list, and he is now challenging that decision in the Johannesburg Division of the High Court in Gauteng, arguing that the party had no right to exclude him.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula publicly backed the removal, saying Lungisa was not entitled to the position. His comments, posted on Facebook on Friday, intensified an already bitter row and drew pushback from some ANC supporters who accused him of ignoring branch-level backing for Lungisa. The ANC has told the court it wants the case removed from the urgent roll or dismissed with costs if it proceeds.

The dispute is especially significant because it comes amid the ANC’s selection process ahead of local elections and touches on internal questions about candidate vetting and party discipline. Daily Maverick said the court has reserved judgment, with a ruling expected on 12 October. The report also notes that the party says the election committee independently found Lungisa’s candidacy invalid because of adverse findings connected to his name, though the article does not set out those findings in detail.