News24 | UPDATE | ANC hires forensic investigator to probe IEC candidate list ‘tampering’

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has written to Eastern Cape provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi and regional secretaries, informing them of the appointment of a forensic auditor.

Luba Lesolle/Gallo Images via Getty Images

• The ANC has appointed forensic auditor Mahier Tayob to investigate alleged changes to its Eastern Cape candidate lists, with a report expected within 76 hours.
• News24 reported on alleged tampering and irregularities in the councillor selection process in Nelson Mandela Bay, Alfred Nzo, and Buffalo City, where branch nominations were allegedly manipulated.
• The probe compounds the ANC’s crisis which saw 181 candidates excluded from the ballot in six municipalities after the party missed the IEC’s deadline, blaming a “technical glitch”.
• For more political news, visit News24 Politics.

The ANC has appointed a forensic investigator to probe “changes” to the ANC Eastern Cape list that allegedly occurred in late August.

News24 recently reported on alleged tampering with lists and irregularities in the councillor selection process in municipalities, including the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and Alfred Nzo Local Municipality.

In a letter to ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi and the secretaries of the regions, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula informed them of the appointment of forensic auditor Mahier Tayob from Taylin Forensics.

“The ANC NEC [national executive committee] at its meeting on 27 August 2026 at Birchwood approved the candidate lists from various provinces, including the ANC Eastern Cape list. However, the list of the ANC was altered.”

Mbalula, in the letter dated 9 September, notified Ngcukayitobi that the report would be ready within 76 hours “for the attention of ANC officials”.

READ | Panic in ANC Eastern Cape strongholds after election lists miss IEC deadline

Mbalula and the ANC have spent the last few days seeking to explain how 181 candidates were excluded from the ballot in six municipalities, including Port St Johns and Ngquza Hill, blaming the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) for a “technical glitch”.

The ANC failed to submit candidate nomination lists for several municipalities in the province, allegedly due to a system glitch before an IEC-imposed deadline of 17:00 on Friday, 28 August.

The ANC has approached the Electoral Court over that matter.

News24 approached Ngcukayitobi, Mbalula and party spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu for comment on the letter regarding the appointment of a forensic investigator, but they had not responded at the time of writing.

Their comments will be added once received.

At least three sources confirmed the letter, saying Mbalula had sent it to regional secretaries in the Eastern Cape.

On Wednesday, News24 learned of another allegation of “candidate selection irregularities” in the Buffalo City Metro in the Eastern Cape.

It is contained in an amended addendum party report, dated 16 August, which was submitted to the ANC NEC and the Eastern Cape provincial executive committee.

READ | Eastern Cape ANC wants answers from Mbalula about missed election deadline

This refers to the alleged “manipulation of the PR list” and “manipulation of branch nominations and alleged victimisation” of Dr WB Rubusana (Buffalo City) regional deputy chairperson Malibongwe Mfazwe.

“It is alleged that comrade Malibongwe Mfazwe was placed at number 10 on the consolidated PR list despite having been nominated by more than 33 branches,” a letter from the party’s branches said.

“We further allege that this placement was influenced by political differences between comrade Mfazwe and the regional chairperson, comrade Princess Faku.”

In party circles, Faku is considered a key ally of Mbalula.

The party’s rank and file alleged that there was “tampering” with the branch nomination processes in that directives were allegedly issued to branch members to “submit empty nomination packages”, with “instructions that no nominations were to be filled in during the actual branch general meetings [BGMs]”.

These meetings take place ahead of the ANC’s lists, policy and elective conferences.

“Evidence in the form of BGM minutes, attendance registers, and nomination forms from the 33+ branches is available and can be submitted upon request by leadership,” the letter from the branches stated.

We request that this matter be investigated urgently as it undermines the democratic process of branch nominations and the integrity of the ANC.

“Should internal ANC processes fail to resolve this matter within a reasonable period, we reserve our right to approach the High Court to interdict the flawed and allegedly manipulated candidate selection process.”

This letter dovetails with legal threats that came from several ANC members in Buffalo City.

News24 recently reported that the party’s list-compilation process, or list conferences, was not without drama after a group of disgruntled Eastern Cape members, including Lwazi Rotya, threatened a new court challenge against Mbalula over the submission of disputed local government councillor candidate lists.