ANC Eastern Cape Conference in Disarray: Factional Battles and Legal Stalemates
The African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province is mired in a deepening crisis, as a long-awaited provincial elective conference collapsed into chaos and was indefinitely postponed. The turmoil, which saw legal interventions, claims of a mock resignation, and senior leaders absent from key meetings, has exposed severe internal divisions and raised urgent questions about the party’s governance in the province.
A Conference Derailed
The conference, intended to elect new provincial leadership, was halted after a High Court in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) granted an interdict on Thursday. The injunction, filed by disgruntled members, suspended the conference pending the exhaustion of internal dispute resolution processes. Subsequently, contempt of court proceedings were launched against 12 ANC members—including Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula—for allegedly undermining the court’s interim ban. That petition was itself postponed by the Supreme Court on Saturday without a set date.
With over 1,000 delegates gathered at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC), Provincial Secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi formally notified all structures of the postponement in a letter on Saturday morning. The event was subsequently converted into a “cadre forum” for discussions, a move sanctioned by the national leadership to avoid direct contempt of the court order.
The Core Contest: Mabuyane vs. Ngcukayitobi
At the heart of the conflict is the deteriorating political relationship between Provincial Chairperson Oscar Mabuyane and Provincial Secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi. What was once an alliance has fractured into a fierce rivalry for control of the province’s ANC machinery.
- Oscar Mabuyane: The incumbent chairperson, seeking a controversial third term. His ambitions are tied to national politics; his name is reportedly on a list compiled by Mbalula for potential ANC Deputy President, as Mbalula himself eyes the presidency in 2027.
- Lulama Ngcukayitobi: The provincial secretary, aligned with a faction known as “Thina Bantu.” His leadership and presence have been publicly questioned by rivals.
The conference would have been a direct showdown between Ngcukayitobi’s “Thina Bantu” faction and Mabuyane’s “Thina Masebe” faction.
Allegations of Dereliction and Calls for Accountability
In the aftermath, insiders are calling for calm but also for Ngcukayitobi to be held accountable, though opinions differ on the form it should take. A senior provincial leader, speaking anonymously, argued against a formal suspension at this late stage of the PEC’s term (which expires in May) but stated Ngcukayitobi should not be elevated to a higher position.
“Yes, there are talks that the provincial secretary needs to be suspended, but you don’t suspend anyone at the end of their term… He has clearly told the organization that the task given to him is too big to handle, so how can we give him the job of chairman even more?”
Another member was more direct, alleging Ngcukayitobi was absent during critical pre-conference preparations.
“Ngcukayitobi was absent most of the time leading up to the conference and spent most of his time on the farm… Suddenly he wants to appear to be taking a leadership role.”
Specific grievances cited include his absence from a post-PEC session address and his non-attendance at a meeting where the postponement was communicated to delegates, with the insider claiming, “He was supposed to be housed in plenary. Instead, he decided to get in his car and drive to a farm.”
National Leadership Steps In
National leadership has moved to contain the situation. Mmamoloko Kubayi, a convener from the national office, assured delegates there was no “leadership vacuum” as the current PEC’s mandate runs until May. She stated the National Executive Committee (NEC) would prepare a report on the events, responding to widespread confusion within the party’s top structures.
On Friday, Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula had written to Ngcukayitobi and the PEC, instructing that the conference be suspended until legal proceedings concluded. Ngcukayitobi later defended this position, stating the court ruling was explicit and that the conference “could have gone smoothly if all the party’s guidelines had been followed.” He suggested internal voices warning of trouble were ignored.
Mabuyane’s Diagnosis: A “Germ of Counter-Revolution”
Addressing the cadre forum, Mabuyane framed the discord in stark ideological terms, moving beyond personal or factional rivalry. He alleged the strategy to sabotage the conference was premeditated, not a spontaneous reaction to the court case.
“The persistence of factionalism, personality cults and narrow interests creates fertile ground for infiltration and manipulation,” Mabuyane warned. “To put it bluntly…what is currently underway is the germ of counter-revolution. These divisions are often neither organic nor harmless. They are encouraged, reinforced and exploited by forces hostile to the liberation movement.”
He criticized the absence of certain PEC officials, including Ngcukayitobi and outgoing Treasurer Zolile Williams, stating the PEC had mandated full attendance for his announcement of the postponement.
The Path Forward and Unanswered Questions
Mabuyane committed to holding the conference by the end of April, a deadline now under immense strain. The immediate future hinges on the resolution of the court case and the internal dispute processes. The national leadership’s report will be pivotal, but trust is severely depleted.
The Eastern Cape, a province with significant ANC history and socioeconomic challenges, now faces a prolonged period of political uncertainty. The spectacle of a conference that couldn’t convene, punctuated by allegations of abandonment, fake resignation letters, and legal warfare, suggests the rift runs deeper than a simple leadership contest. It points to a party struggling to manage its own internal democracy—a struggle with direct consequences for governance and service delivery in the region.
Note: The High Court location is correctly identified as Gqeberha, the official name since 2021. “KuGompo” in the source material appears to be a phonetic or misspelling of the former name, Port Elizabeth (iGqeberha in Xhosa).
