This is about the right to stand for political office, Ramaphosa says as IEC gives ANC a lifeline

The beleaguered ANC has been thrown a lifeline after electoral bosses reopened candidate registration for the local government elections - a move that averted what would have been a gut-wrenching blow to the ruling party's election campaign.

Electoral bosses were quick to denounce the notion its decision favoured the ANC, even though the ruling party became the unjustifiable beneficiary of its decision.

On Monday, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) announced voter and candidate registrations would be reopened after the Constitutional Court dismissed its application to postpone the local government elections until next year.