Political parties face a fresh round of candidate nomination deadlines this week as campaigning for the November 4 municipal elections gathers pace, while Cosatu prepares for its national congress and India hosts the Brics summit.The Electoral Commission’s timetable gives parties and independent candidates until 5pm on Monday to submit outstanding identity document copies or signed acceptances of nomination where required. The deadline follows the August 28 close of candidate nominations and forms part of the process of checking submissions before candidate lists are published.Read: IEC sets 36-hour deadline for political parties to report fake news On Wednesday, the commission will notify candidates, parties or nominating persons where candidates have received multiple nominations. Friday is the deadline for the substitutions provided for in the timetable. These steps precede the compilation and public release of candidate lists on September 16. The administrative deadlines run alongside the contest for voter support, with parties seeking control of councils responsible for water, electricity, sanitation and other basic services.The ANC has made fixing local government a central commitment for 2026. The DA is presenting the election as an opportunity for voters to change how their towns and cities are governed. Their competing pitches put the delivery of basic services at the centre of the campaign. Further electoral milestones follow later this month. Applications for special votes open on September 21, while the electoral code of conduct signing is scheduled for September 23. Candidate certificates will be issued on September 25. Special vote applications close on October 12, with voting at homes and designated stations scheduled for November 2 and 3 ahead of the main polling day. Cosatu will complete preparations for its 15th national congress, which opens at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on September 14 and runs until September 17. The gathering comes less than two months before the municipal vote and will bring the federation’s political and workplace priorities into focus.Alliance unity is a stated priority for the federation. General secretary Solly Phetoe has urged the ANC, South African Communist Party and Cosatu to resolve their differences ahead of the elections, while pressing the government to address living costs, employment, energy and crime.In remarks to the National Union of Mineworkers in June, Phetoe linked the electoral campaign to rebuilding municipalities and improving water, electricity, sanitation and safety. Those demands provide the political backdrop to the congress as organised labour seeks a stronger response to workers’ concerns. International attention will turn to New Delhi, where India will host the 18th Brics summit on September 12 and 13 at Bharat Mandapam. The gathering brings South Africa’s engagement with the grouping onto the week’s diplomatic agenda. As chair, India has focused on resilience, innovation, co-operation and sustainability. The leaders’ meeting will provide the next indication of how those priorities translate into collective commitments from the expanded grouping.Business Day