Mabuyane Warns ANC Divisions Could Weaken Party’s National Standing Amid Conference Postponement

• The ANC in the Eastern Cape had postponed its provincial conference amid legal challenges and internal divisions
• Chairperson Oscar Mabuyane warned that instability could weaken the ANC's national standing
• ANC leadership called for unity and discipline amidst factionalism and external pressures

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

EASTERN CAPE - The African National Congress (ANC) in the Eastern Cape has postponed its provincial elective conference indefinitely following a legal challenge by party members.

ANC members and legal team halted proceedings

The decision followed an agreement on Saturday, 28 March 2026, between legal representatives of three ANC members and the party's legal team to halt proceedings scheduled to take place from 26 to 29 March 2026. The members had filed an urgent contempt of court application against the ANC, but the matter was removed from the urgent roll and transferred to the normal court process, with a hearing date to be determined by the registrar. According to The Citizen, court proceedings recorded that the ANC, cited as the second respondent, had communicated its decision not to proceed with the conference, resulting in the postponement of the contempt application.

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ANC Eastern Cape chairperson Oscar Mabuyane addressed delegates after the adjournment, indicating that the postponement was not coincidental but formed part of what he described as a coordinated effort against the party. He maintained that while the ANC respects court processes, continued disputes could destabilise the organisation beyond the province. He suggested that the Eastern Cape was being targeted due to its status as a historical stronghold of the party and its role in the broader liberation movement.

Divisions could weaken the ANC nationally

Mabuyane further warned that divisions within the province could weaken the ANC nationally, arguing that internal organisational tensions reflected a broader effort to undermine unity. He also cautioned against factionalism and personality-driven politics, indicating that such divisions create conditions for external influence and manipulation. He suggested that these dynamics were being used by forces opposed to the ANC to weaken the party from within.

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Mabuyane expressed the view that multiple groups with differing motivations were converging around efforts to remove the ANC from power, but maintained that such attempts would not succeed. He called on members to uphold discipline, political maturity and organisational cohesion.

ANC addresses Motsepe lobbying ahead of 2027 conference

Briefly News also reported that the African National Congress (ANC) has cautioned its members against promoting billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe as a potential party president under the banner of the so-called "PM27" campaign.

In a statement, the ANC said its National Executive Committee (NEC) had resolved that no leadership campaigns should take place ahead of the party's 2027 National Conference. The NEC described any premature mobilisation as being in direct conflict with its collective decision and warned that members who defy the directive would face disciplinary consequences.

Source: Briefly News