ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party has registered candidates in 97% of ward seats and 90% of proportional representations seats available around the country for the November local government elections.

The ANC says 181 of its candidates are affected by its dispute with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) over the submission of candidate nominations for the November 4 local government elections.

Briefing the media on Tuesday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the party had filed an application with the Electoral Court after the IEC refused to process candidate information that the ANC says was already captured on the electoral body's electronic system before the August 28 deadline.

“On Friday the 4th September, the ANC filed an application in the electoral court. The matter is therefore before a court,” Mbalula said.

He said the ANC would not argue the merits of the case publicly.