The African National Congress (ANC) has been granted leave to appeal an interdict halting the party’s Eastern Cape conference, which was set to take place from Thursday to Sunday in KuGompo City. The appeal will be heard on Friday afternoon in the Eastern Cape High Court.
Earlier on Friday, ANC convener in the Eastern Cape Mmamoloko Kubayi announced that the judge had granted leave to appeal and that the parties involved could approach the court to have the matter heard in the afternoon. This comes after acting Judge Babalo Metu granted an interim interdict on Thursday, prohibiting the party from holding the conference.
Background to the Interdict
The application for the interdict was lodged by three ANC members who approached the court on Monday, seeking to prevent the conference from taking place. They argued that the party had flouted its own rules and guidelines in the build-up to the conference, and wanted the court to nullify ANC’s secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s verification report, which stated that the conference had met the 70% threshold for compliance.
According to the South African Government website, the ANC’s constitution outlines the procedures for convening conferences, including the requirement for branch nominations and the verification of delegates. The three applicants claimed that these procedures were not followed, and that the party was therefore in contempt of court by continuing with the conference despite the interdict.
Reaction from Delegates and Leaders
Delegates at the conference were eager to start the proceedings, despite the court order. Some expressed anxiety and uncertainty about whether the conference would continue or not. Others blamed provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi, who is contesting for the chairperson post, for the court challenges. However, Luyolo Nqakula, who is contesting for secretary in Ngcukayitobi’s slate, dismissed these suggestions, saying that aggrieved members of the ANC had decided to take the matter to court, not Ngcukayitobi.
Here are some key points to note about the situation:
- The ANC has been granted leave to appeal the interdict, which will be heard on Friday afternoon.
- The conference has been put on hold by Mbalula until all matters before the court and all issues are concluded.
- The three applicants claim that the party is in contempt of court by continuing with the conference despite the interdict.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the ANC will proceed with the conference and address the concerns raised by the three applicants. For more information on the ANC’s constitution and procedures, visit the Wikipedia page on the party.
