The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) is being cornered into allowing provincial conferences to sit beyond the March 31 deadline set in 2025, when it instructed members to focus on campaigning for the local government elections.
This follows a meeting of the party’s national working committee (NWC) this week. It is understood arguments were heard that not allowing the conferences could further damage the ANC’s electoral prospects as rival contenders would be unlikely to run a clean and successful campaign.
This notion was reportedly pushed by some NEC deployees to Gauteng, who were asked to explain why the province’s roadmap envisages a conference only in mid-May.
The NWC was told that ANC members were already in “conference mode” and that trying to stop a leadership contest — expected to be especially bruising in Gauteng — would not help to improve the situation.
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi is expected to go toe-to-toe with his health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, in what insiders describe as a fierce contest for control of the ANC in the province.
“They told them these guys are already in conference mode and if you force them to stop now until after the elections, then they won’t ... campaign,” said a senior ANC source with knowledge of the NWC meeting. “Emotions are extremely high in Gauteng. The situation is tense and they cannot afford to [block] the conference.”
According to the insiders, the NWC gave in and agreed the Gauteng conference should go ahead in May, subject to NEC approval.
“The NWC sat on Monday and said we can go ahead and plan for the May conference,” said the source. “Remember, May becomes the furthest date; the conference can sit earlier than that.
“But they explained to them that the contest in Gauteng is too much and there [will be many] disputes. So expecting us to do all of this work and sit before [the] end of May is an impossible ask.”
We are clear that conferences are not assisting our campaign. In fact, they are delaying it because comrades are busy with every other thing but the elections campaign. That’s the submission we’ve made to the NWC and NEC. These conferences are ... dividing the organisation.
— NWC member
There is now concern among some ANC leaders that the NWC may have opened a can of worms, with other provinces likely to seek similar extensions.
“I can tell you now, other provinces will also miss the March deadline; they will go in April. So May is really not that bad,” said another source.
This apparent change of heart contradicts a decision the NWC is believed to have taken a week earlier, when it rejected Gauteng’s request for an extension.
“They requested an extension at our last meeting but the NWC didn’t agree ... they said no extension, but it must still go to the NEC,” said one NWC member.
“We are clear that conferences are not assisting our campaign. In fact, they are delaying it because comrades are busy with every other thing but the elections campaign. That’s the submission we’ve made to the NWC and NEC. These conferences are ... dividing the organisation.”
Three key provinces were expected to elect new leadership by the end of March to lead the party into the local government elections.
However, it now appears that only Limpopo will meet the end of March deadline. On paper, that conference appears set to be uncontested after Peter Mokaba region chair John Mpe nominated premier Phophi Ramathuba for provincial chair. Mpe had been expected to challenge Ramathuba, but regional interventions appear to have convinced him to instead stand as her deputy.
With Gauteng likely to be granted an extension, insiders say Eastern Cape and North West are also unlikely to sit by the end of March and may also seek one.
KwaZulu-Natal is expected to elect new leadership only after the local government elections, expected to take place in November.
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