ANC needs to restore public trust with a return to its founding principles, or face further decline

The trajectory in theEastern Cape ANCreflects a troubling and sustained pattern of organisational instability and internal contestation. From the 2017 provincial conference , infamously remembered as the “festival of chairs”, to the 2022 conference, delayed by protracted court challenges, and now the watershed 2026 conference aborted through a court interdict, a consistent narrative of dysfunction has emerged. These moments are not isolated.

They are cumulative indicators of a deeper systemic crisis within the ANC. The mostrecent collapse of the ANC Eastern Cape provincial conferencedemands serious reflection on the movement’s adherence to its own values, its constitutional obligations and its responsibility to the people it seeks to serve. At the centre of this crisis lies a fundamental principle — respect for the supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law.

The decision by aggrieved members to approach the courts affirms the resilience of SA’s constitutional democracy. However, it simultaneously exposes the failure of internal party systems to resolve disputes within their own frameworks. Equally concerning is the inability of party structures to uphold the ANC’s own constitution and conference guidelines.

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Internal democratic processes are not procedural technicalities; they are the foundation upon which legitimacy, cohesion and trust are built. Their erosion suggests a pattern in which rules are inconsistently applied, selectively interpreted, or disregarded altogether in pursuit of factional advantage. A deeper analysis reveals that the crisis is also rooted in the organisation’s internal culture.

The ANC has historically prided itself on a disciplined, value-driven organisational culture anchored in unity, accountability and collective leadership. However, what is increasingly evident is a shift toward a fragmented culture characterised by factionalism, patronage and the erosion of ethical leadership.

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