ANC Eastern Cape heads to Luthuli House after conference chaos

As the Eastern Cape ANC heads to Luthuli House to report on what transpired at its humiliating and postponed provincial elective conference, insiders have called for calm amid calls for the provincial secretary to be suspended. The much-anticipated conference descended into chaos, beset by legal challenges, a bogus resignation, stranded delegates awaiting a postponement and senior leaders absent during the meetings as factional divisions deepened. On Saturday, ANC provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane, whose third-term ambitions have been put on hold, told delegates at a cadres forum that provincial executive committee members (PEC) would give a report on what transpired.

The conference was turned into a cadres forum after an interim interdict preventing it from going ahead. At the centre of what would have been the contest are Mabuyane and provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi, whose political relationship has come full circle, from allies to rivals battling for control of the party in the province. The conference would have seen theNgcukayitobifaction, aligned to the“Thina Bantu” grouping, squaring off against Mabuyane’s “Thina Masebe” faction.

It is understood that Mabuyane is eyeing a third term to bolster his national political ambitions, with his name circulating as a potential ANC deputy president on secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s slate. Mbalula is believed to be aiming for the party presidency in 2027. During his address, Mabuyane assured delegates the conference would sit by the end of April.

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The ANC convenor of deployees to the province, Mmamoloko Kubayi, assured delegates there was no leadership vacuum as the PEC’s term only lapsed in May. She said the party’s national executive committee would deal with the issue.

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