African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula collapsed during a media briefing on Thursday, 15 October 2026, moments after a journalist raised a question about asylum seekers and foreign nationals.
The incident occurred shortly after the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of the ANC in its legal battle against the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) over the exclusion of 181 of the party’s candidates from the upcoming local government elections.
During the question-and-answer session, a journalist raised a question concerning asylum seekers and foreign nationals, prompting Mbalula to prepare to respond.
He began by saying, “Thank you very much,” as journalists waited for his answer.
However, instead of proceeding with his response, Mbalula told those present, “I’m not feeling well.”
Moments later, he slumped, prompting people nearby to rush to his assistance as the media briefing was interrupted.
The unexpected incident left journalists waiting for an answer to the politically sensitive question, which came amid ongoing public debate about immigration, citizenship and voting rights in South Africa.
It remains unclear whether the question had any connection to Mbalula’s sudden illness. No confirmed medical explanation for the collapse was available at the time of publication.
ANC wins Constitutional Court battle against IEC
Earlier on Thursday, the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of the ANC in its dispute with the IEC concerning the exclusion of 181 ANC candidates from the electoral process.
The dispute followed the party’s failure to complete the final submission of its candidate lists for six municipalities before the deadline.
The court’s decision cleared the way for the affected ANC candidates to be included in the electoral process, dealing a significant blow to the IEC’s earlier position.
The ruling comes as political parties prepare for the upcoming local government elections scheduled for 4 November 2026.
Mbalula’s collapse interrupted the media briefing at a moment when journalists were seeking clarity on questions surrounding foreign nationals and the country’s electoral process.
ECNewsLive will provide further updates as verified information becomes available.
Mbalula collapses while preparing to answer question about foreign nationals
