ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Conference Postponed Amid Court Order and Internal Dispute
The African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province has indefinitely postponed its 10th Provincial Conference, a key event for electing provincial leadership and shaping regional strategy. This decision follows a High Court interdict and conflicting signals from party structures, highlighting deepening internal tensions within the ruling party.
Background: The Path to Postponement
Originally scheduled to open on March 27, the conference faced legal challenges almost from the outset. Provincial Secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi, in a letter dated March 28, informed delegates that the event was postponed “until further notice.” He cited instructions from ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, whose March 27 correspondence, titled “Instructions to keep the Eastern Cape Conference in abeyance,” detailed a review confirming the province had met the required 70 percent threshold for holding the conference. However, Mbalula’s report, based on “due consideration, consultation and review of the prevailing legal and organizational circumstances,” ultimately recommended suspension.
Ngcukayitobi’s letter urged delegates to return home safely, stating: “We hope you find the above OK and should you have any questions regarding this correspondence, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of the Provincial Secretary.” This communication, however, was immediately contested by party spokespersons.
Court Intervention: A Legal Roadblock
The postponement was reinforced by a Gauteng High Court order on Thursday, March 28. Acting Justice Babalo Metu ruled that the ANC and its Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) must adhere strictly to the party’s constitution and conference guidelines. The order explicitly prohibited the conference from proceeding over the weekend of March 30–31. The court also allowed parties to submit supplementary documentation before a final decision and ordered the ANC, its PEC, and Secretary-General Mbalula to pay the legal costs of the applicants.
The application was brought by three ANC members from the Buffalo City district, led by Lwazi Rotya. They sought to overturn Mbalula’s review report, arguing procedural irregularities despite the province’s claimed compliance with the 70 percent delegate threshold—a critical benchmark for conference validity under ANC rules.
- Key Court Orders:
- Prohibition of the conference scheduled for March 27–31.
- Requirement for ANC structures to follow constitutional governance tools.
- Permission for supplementary filings before final judgment.
- Costs awarded against ANC, PEC, and Mbalula.
- ANC
