South Africa’s Electoral Commission has rejected an application by the Islamic State of Africa (ISA) to register as a political party, citing failure to meet legal requirements and concerns over constitutional alignment.
The decision, made public on Friday, centres on the party’s unsuccessful attempt to gain recognition within the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality.
According to the Commission, the bid was denied on three distinct grounds, each raising significant procedural and legal red flags.
“Firstly, the party failed to submit the required minimum of 300 supporting signatures from registered voters,” the Commission stated. “These signatures, accompanied by full names and voter registration details, are a core requirement to establish credible public support.”
The second issue involved ISA’s public notice.
As required by South African electoral law, all new political parties must publish a notice of their registration application in a widely circulated local newspaper.
However, ISA’s notice appeared in a publication with very limited distribution, confined to only certain areas within eThekwini. The Commission ruled this insufficient to inform all residents potentially impacted by the party’s political activities.
Most notably, over 200 objections were filed by private citizens and civil society organisations, challenging the constitution of the ISA.
The objectors argued that the party’s founding principles, which advocate for policies grounded in Sharia law, contradict South Africa’s secular and inclusive constitutional framework. Many of the submissions described the party’s orientation as incompatible with the democratic values of equality, human dignity, and freedom of religion.
“The application raised concerns about offending sections of the public and undermining the constitutional order,” the Commission noted.
ISA has been informed of its right to appeal the decision within 30 days. If pursued, the case may reignite debate around religious identity, secular governance, and party registration thresholds in one of Africa’s most diverse democracies.
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