ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula says the party will not allow new candidates without matric certificates to stand as councillors in the upcoming local government elections.
Mbalula was speaking as the ANC held a special extended National Executive Committee meeting to finalise its candidates for the elections.
He said the party’s candidate selection guidelines clearly distinguish between incumbent councillors and new prospective candidates who do not have matric qualifications.
According to Mbalula, only sitting ANC councillors who do not have matric may apply for a waiver through the party’s electoral committee.
The comments follow requests from some provincial ANC secretaries seeking waivers for new prospective councillors who do not hold matric certificates.
Mbalula said the party’s guidelines do not allow the ANC secretary-general to approve such exemptions.
“We’ve got our guidelines, which you’ve got access to, and then it is very clear that it says that you will ask for a waiver should you become a candidate of the ANC and you don’t have matric at a ward level,” Mbalula said.
He explained that some ward-level candidates may have strong support within their communities despite not having matric.
“These are ward candidates who have been selected, who are loved by communities, and therefore people believe in them,” he said.
However, Mbalula stressed that any exemption must be considered by the ANC’s Electoral Committee in accordance with the party’s rules.
The ANC is expected to finalise its candidate lists as it prepares for the upcoming local government elections.