Key Takeaways
- ANC Secretary‑General Fikile Mbalula revealed that the strain of a seven‑week legal battle over candidate lists caused him to collapse at the Constitutional Court.
- He described the pressure as a physical weight that lifted once the court ruled in the ANC’s favour, allowing 181 previously excluded candidates to appear on the November local‑government ballot.
- Medical checks confirmed he is fit and ready to resume work after a period of rest.
- Mbalula blamed a technical glitch in the IEC’s electronic submission system—not any failure by the party—for the initial exclusion of the candidates.
- He thanked ANC supporters, emphasizing that the party’s strength comes from its people, not just legal arguments.
Background of the Collapse
On Sunday at Luthuli House, ANC Secretary‑General Fikile Mbalula spoke publicly for the first time about the incident that saw him faint during a media briefing at the Constitutional Court last Thursday. He attributed the collapse to the cumulative stress of a protracted seven‑week legal fight aimed at reinstating 181 ANC candidates who had been left off the party’s election lists for the upcoming November local‑government elections. Mbalula said he had “carried something heavy for seven weeks,” a burden that manifested physically when the court finally delivered its judgment.
The Emotional Weight of the Legal Battle
Mbalula elaborated on the nature of that pressure, describing it as a constant thought that kept him awake at night: the possibility that voters in six municipalities would receive ballot papers that did not list the ANC, the party they had chosen. He said this thought “sat on my chest every night,” creating a sense of oppression that intensified as the deadline approached. When the Constitutional Court finally spoke in favour of the ANC, the weight lifted abruptly, and his body reacted to the sudden release of tension, resulting in the collapse.
Court Verdict and Its Immediate Impact
The Constitutional Court upheld the ANC’s appeal against the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), which had initially excluded the 181 candidates from the ballot. The ruling cleared the way for those names to appear on the November local‑government polls, a outcome Mbalula described as both a legal vindication and a personal relief. He noted that the decision not only restored the party’s electoral prospects but also alleviated the psychological strain that had been building for weeks.
Health Assessment and Return to Duty
Following the incident, Mbalula underwent a thorough medical examination. He announced that doctors had given him a clean bill of health, declaring him “fit as a fiddle.” After a period of rest, he said he felt ready to return to work, adding that “the ground is calling my name.” This statement underscores his eagerness to resume his duties as the ANC’s senior organiser and to continue driving the party’s campaign efforts.
Technical Glitch in the IEC System
Mbalula maintained that the root cause of the candidate list problem was not any oversight by the ANC but a failure within the IEC’s electronic submission system. He explained that before 5 p.m. on 28 August, the party had successfully entered every candidate’s name, every supporting document, and every required deposit into the IEC’s platform for the six municipalities in question. However, the final step—submitting the data—did not complete because of a technical fault, not because a form or document was missing. Consequently, the system treated the 181 candidates as if they had never been nominated.
Legal Argument: Law vs. Software Button
In articulating the ANC’s position before the court, Mbalula stressed a simple principle: the law defines what a political party must do to submit a candidate list, and compliance with that law should not be overridden by a software interface. He argued that a “button inside a computer programme” is not a legal requirement; it does not appear in any act, regulation, or government gazette. Using a poignant metaphor, he said that the “blood our people bled for cannot be taken away by a screen design,” emphasizing that electoral integrity must not be sacrificed to technical glitches.
Gratitude to Supporters and the People’s Role
Throughout his address, Mbalula repeatedly thanked the ANC’s grassroots supporters, asserting that the party’s strength lies in its people rather than solely in legal paperwork or judicial arguments. He said, “In this country, we do not fight only with papers and arguments. We are carried by our people, and we felt them.” This acknowledgment served both to honor the militants, volunteers, and voters who stood behind the party during the legal ordeal and to reinforce the ANC’s narrative that its legitimacy derives from popular mandate.
Looking Ahead: Electoral Preparations
With the court’s decision securing the candidates’ place on the ballot, Mbalula indicated that the ANC would now shift focus to the practicalities of campaigning for the November local‑government elections. He hinted at renewed energy and readiness to hit the campaign trail, suggesting that the party intends to capitalize on the restored candidate list to consolidate its presence in the municipalities involved. The resolution of the legal dispute, therefore, not only alleviated a personal health crisis for Mbalula but also cleared a significant hurdle in the ANC’s electoral preparations.