ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Conference Remains on Hold Amid Court Injunction
ANC Secretary‑General Fikile Mbalula said on Monday that the Eastern Cape branch is prepared to hold its 10th Provincial Conference, but only if the courts lift the temporary ban that has stalled the gathering.
Background of the injunction
On 25 March 2024, Acting Judge Babalo Metu of the Eastern Cape High Court issued an interim injunction preventing the ANC provincial conference from proceeding. The order came after three members from Buffalo City – led by Lwazi Rotya – approached the court to challenge a review report by Mbalula that concluded the province had met the required 70 percent threshold for a conference to be called.
The applicants argued that the report was flawed and that the conference should be cancelled. Judge Metu granted the injunction pending a full hearing, effectively freezing the party’s internal processes.
Mbalula’s response
Speaking at a media briefing in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) on Monday evening, Mbalula acknowledged the court’s authority while insisting the ANC had fulfilled all constitutional requirements.
“We do not want the ANC to be blackmailed by the court, but the ANC must respect the court. The ANC must respect its constitution and policies, which we have done.”
— Fikile Mbalula, ANC Secretary‑General
He described the situation as the party being “stuck in a political cell that we did not create” and said the branches were “boiling” and ready to be “eaten” – a colloquial expression meaning eager to proceed.
Implications for Oscar Mabuyane’s leadership
Provincial Chair Oscar Mabuyane, who is seeking a third term, was first elected on 9 May 2022. His current term is set to expire on Saturday, 30 March 2024. The postponed conference would have been the forum where delegates decide on leadership positions, including the contested chairmanship.
The leadership contest pits Mabuyane’s “Thina Masebe” faction against a rival group led by Provincial Secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi, aligned with the “Thina Bantu” bloc. Both sides have mobilised grassroots support, and the conference was expected to be a decisive showdown.
Provincial Task Team (PTT) question
When asked whether the ANC would establish a Provincial Task Team to manage affairs while the conference remains banned, Mbalula sidestepped the query, stating that the party’s constitution dictates that expired structures proceed directly to a conference.
“The provincial term would have been addressed if we had not been banned, so we are on the right track in that regard. I don’t know the concept of a PTT. The ANC constitution guides us. When the term of the structure expires, they go to a conference, which is what the Eastern Cape did.”
— Fikile Mbalula
He added that, had the ban not been imposed, the conference would already have taken place.
Metaphor of a tsunami
Mbalula previously remarked that only a tsunami could stop the Eastern Cape conference. On Monday he said, metaphorically, that a tsunami had indeed halted proceedings, referring to the legal injunction as an overwhelming force beyond the party’s control.
Next steps
The ANC has filed responding papers with the court and is awaiting the judge’s ruling. Mbalula urged the judiciary to allow the party to resume its internal processes, emphasizing respect for both the court and the ANC’s own governing documents.
- Date of injunction: 25 March 2024
- Acting Judge: Babalo Metu
- Current provincial chair: Oscar Mabuyane (term ends 30 March 2024)
- Main contesting factions: “Thina Masebe” (Mabuyane) vs. “Thina Bantu” (Ngcukayitobi)
- Required threshold for conference: 70 percent of branch support
The outcome of the court hearing will determine whether the Eastern Cape ANC can proceed with its long‑awaited provincial conference and resolve the leadership impasse that has drawn national attention.
