Leadership factional battles, characterised by internal divisions and rivalries, leading to the ANC Limpopo’s provincial elective conference cripple regional structures.

Limpopo ANC Provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe has confirmed that both Vhembe and Peter Mokaba regional conferences are facing disputes, with delegates citing irregularities.

Madadzhe said the two disputes are being handled by the national dispute resolution committee (NDRC) and they (PEC) shall await the decision of the NEC on the matter.

He confirmed during an interview with the SABC Limpopo radio station, Manghana Lonene.

In Vhembe region, the disgruntled ANC members are accusing the party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula of interfering with the regional conference, by stripping the then regional task team (RTT) coordinator Rudzani Ludere of his powers ahead of the conference and placed them on Madadzhe and Mdu Manana, national organiser.

In an attempt to stop the conference, Simon Mavikane, who lost the contest for regional chairperson to the MEC of Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) Tshitereke Matibe, took the ANC to court in a bid to stop the conference. He lost the case and later dropped out of the race hours before the conference started.

During the conference plenary, the delegates endorsed Madadzhe to return as the Provincial secretary, a position which Ludere was eyeing ahead of the 2026 provincial elective conference.

In Peter Mokaba region, the elective conference was marred with chaos, where delegates manhandled and assaulted each other with chairs.

The supporters of Limpopo ANC Women’s League and Capricorn District Municipality mayor Mamedupi Teffo got rowdy and abandoned the conference over alleged bogus delegates.

Teffo, who is aligned with the Limpopo premier to be the next ANC provincial chairperson, lost to the City of Polokwane mayor, John Mpe, for the chairperson position after walking out of the conference.

Mpe is also vying for the top provincial position.

The 127 members who were the delegates in the Peter Mokaba regional conference have turned to Mbulula and the national dispute resolution committee (NDR) to have the regional conference declared null and void, purporting that it sat on wrong credentials.

The recent ANC Peter Mokaba regional elective conference went ahead despite the NDRC report, which disqualified 31 branches and would have halted the conference from continuing with its business, that is according to the displeased delegates.

In a dispute letter, the disgruntled conference delegates said the conference did not meet the required 70% threshold.

“When one looks at the RTT( regional task team) report to conference on credentials, it was presented that the 79 branches are legitimate to attend conference and therefore the required threshold was reached, however when one looks at the final NDRC report which set aside and nullified multiple branches as a result of irregularities and non-compliance to guidelines – the 70% was not reached.

“The final report by the NDRC has disqualified 31 Branches out of the 105 branches, leaving conference with 74(65.5%) branches instead of 79 (70%) and therefore conference should not have proceeded because it lacked the prerequisite quorum,” said the letter.

The group further added that amongst the disqualified branches as per the final NDRC report, seen participating in plenary are: Molemole Sub Region (Ward 4, 5), Sefako Makgato Sub Region: Ward 09, 12, 17, 18, 21, 22, 28.

The discontented members who were supporting Teffo accused the party’s provincial secretary, Reuben Madadzhe, and other PEC members of presiding over a conference that violated ANC processes and disregarded the NDRC report.

However, on Tuesday,20 May Madadzhe announced that the NDRC has given a green light for the conference to run with it’s business and all outstanding disputes would be resolved.

Vhembe is the second ANC Limpopo biggest region with 127 branches after Norman Mashabane, Peter Mokaba region, the economic hub of Limpopo and where the provincial government is located, is the third largest with 113 branches.