ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Conference Collapses Following Contempt of Court Application and Persistent Branch Disputes

The ANC cancels its Eastern Cape provincial conference after a contempt of court application and branch disputes halt the elective process in East London.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 28, 2026, 8:15 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Eyewitness News

Legal Resolution Ends Stalled Elective Process

The African National Congress (ANC) has formally abandoned its attempts to hold the Eastern Cape provincial elective conference after legal pressures rendered the gathering untenable. Following an urgent contempt of court application heard on Saturday morning, the party's legal counsel and the opposing applicants reached a consensus to terminate the proceedings. The conference, which was originally slated to take place between March 26 and March 29, had been paralyzed by three days of procedural delays and recurring court interventions. Judge Johannes Louw delivered the finality of the situation in court, noting that the respondent had officially communicated the decision to halt all congress activities immediately.

Contempt Allegations and Branch Disputes

The collapse of the conference was precipitated by allegations that the ANC leadership had ignored a prior judicial interdict. This earlier ruling had mandated that the conference stay all proceedings, including delegate registration, until internal disputes regarding branch structures were fully resolved. Despite this legal boundary, applicants argued that the party continued with its agenda, leading to the filing of the contempt of court application. By agreeing to cancel the conference entirely, the ANC managed to have the contempt matter removed from the court roll, effectively pausing a legal confrontation that threatened to deepen the rift within the provincial leadership.

Internal Friction Over Branch Legitimacy

At the heart of the litigation are unresolved grievances regarding the legitimacy of various branch processes across the Eastern Cape. Internal factions within the party have spent weeks disputing the accreditation of delegates, claiming that certain branch general meetings were conducted in violation of the ANC constitution. These technical disputes have historically been a flashpoint for the party in the province, often leading to protracted "festival of chairs" scenarios where physical and legal battles collide. The decision to call off the event suggests that the national and provincial leadership recognized that any leadership elected under current conditions would face immediate challenges to their legitimacy.