The tussle of power in the ANC Limpopo’s Peter Mokaba region turns its ugly head as factional battles for top leadership are at the centre of the protracted delays of the regional elective conference.
Peter Mokaba was initially set to hold its regional conference in April at the Ranch Hotel. Since then, it has been embroiled in delays due to unresolved internal branch disputes, parallel branches leadership that occurred during the REC leadership nominations and election of delegates for the conference.
Some ANC branch general meetings (BGMs) were reportedly manipulated to skew the outcomes in favour of certain candidates, who are vying for the top regional leadership positions.
The elective conference has since been postponed for the fourth time, awaiting the outcomes of the disputes lodged with both national and provincial resolution committees.
On Sunday, 19 May, after it was rumoured that the regional task team (RTT) is set proceed with the business of the conference, 12 ANC members in the Peter Mokaba region wrote an urgent letter through its attorneys MT Ramabala instructing the RTT to halt plans to proceed with conference, until the Provincial Dispute Resolution Commitee (PDRC) and National Dispute Resolution Commitee (NDRC) resolve outstanding disputes lodged by 24 branches.
The branch disputes are from all four sub-regions, which include Molemole (5), Blouberg (4), Polokwane (6) and Sefako Makgato (9).
“The aforementioned disputes remain unresolved and are being attended to by the relevant structures of the African National Congress (PDRC AND NDRC). Notwithstanding the above, our clients inform us that some members are intending to proceed with the conference today(Sunday), 18th May 2025 at the Ranch Resort.
“Our clients have been advised today(Sunday), around 15:00 that the conference of the ANC, Peter Mokaba will convene and conclude its business this evening, if not, in the early hours of tomorrow (Monday),19 May 2025. It is our clients’ view that the conference cannot proceed whilst those dispute remain unresolved,” MT Ramabala said on behalf of the 12 members.
The firm further reminded the RTT that their call to halt the conference until the disputes are resolved is in line with the guidelines published by the African National Congress to all its structures and must be adhered to without any compromise.
In response to urgent demand, the RTT, through its legal representatives Buthane Rasemana attorneys said the regional conference remain on hold, pending the NDRC report.
“It is our instructions that the Regional conference is still on hold and as such our client still awaits the NDRC’s report to convene the conference,” the RTT attorneys said.
The region is hotly contested with City of Polokwane mayor John Mpe is seeking re-election as the chairperson for the third time, while Capricorn District municipality mayor and provincial chairperson of ANC Women’s league, Mamedupi Teffo is also vying for the same position.
When reached for comments, RTT spokesperson Adolph Rapetswa said they will release a media statement surrounding the conference’s protracted delays, but had not yet done so at the time of this publication.
