ANC Peter Mokaba Regional Conference Marred by Disputes and Postponements
The long-anticipated African National Congress (ANC) Peter Mokaba Regional Conference has been rocked by administrative disputes, factional battles, and procedural irregularities, culminating in its indefinite postponement.
- In January 2025 , the ANC in Limpopo dissolved the Peter Mokaba Regional Executive Committee (REC) due to the expiration of its term and delays in holding a regional conference. A Regional Task Team (RTT) was appointed to oversee preparations for new leadership elections.
- The ANC Limpopo Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) confirmed that the Peter Mokaba regional conference would be held from April 25 to 27, 2025.
- The RTT revised the conference dates to May 9–11, 2025, to allow for the resolution of internal organizational processes.
- Disgruntled ANC members in the Peter Mokaba region called for the national leadership to intervene in disputes related to the regional conference, alleging registration irregularities and the inclusion of illegitimate delegates. The ANC’s regional elective conference in the Peter Mokaba region was postponed indefinitely due to unresolved disputes.
Polokwane – What was meant to be a pivotal moment in the African National Congress (ANC) Peter Mokaba Region’s political calendar has turned into a quagmire of internal disputes, delays, and unending controversy.
The regional elective conference, originally scheduled for April 2025, has now been postponed indefinitely following serious allegations of irregularities, prompting calls for national intervention.
On January 22, 2025, the PEC disbanded the Regional Executive Committees (RECs) of three major regions; Peter Mokaba, Vhembe, and Mopani—due to the expiry of their terms and persistent delays in organizing leadership conferences.
“The REC’s term had lapsed and there were significant delays in convening conferences. We had no choice but to appoint Regional Task Teams to ensure constitutional compliance,” ANC Limpopo spokesperson Jimmy Machaka confirmed the decision.
The PEC appointed a Regional Task Team (RTT) to oversee preparations for a new leadership structure in the region.
The RTT issued a revised schedule on April 30, 2025, postponing the conference to May 9–11, 2025. The revision, according to the RTT, was necessitated by “administrative backlogs and unresolved disputes in some branches.”
“The shift in dates will allow the RTT and branch leadership to ensure that all verification and membership processes are completed lawfully and without conflict,” RTT Coordinator Patricia Mphahlele stated.
The postponed conference was expected to witness a fierce leadership contest between: John Mpe, the current Executive Mayor of Polokwane Municipality, seeking a third term as regional chairperson and Mamedupi Teffo, Executive Mayor of Capricorn District and Chairperson of the ANC Women’s League in Limpopo, contesting for the same position.
It was later confirmed that the leadership contest would proceed between May 9 and 11, following a slight rescheduling due to internal logistical reasons.
On the eve of the conference, unity within the ANC Peter Mokaba region began to unravel.
As the revised conference date approached, internal disputes intensified.
On May 9, 2025, disgruntled ANC members in the region staged a demonstration outside the conference venue, demanding intervention by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
The group alleged widespread irregularities in the registration process, claiming that “bogus delegates” were fraudulently included in the conference attendance list.
These members accused the RTT of manipulating branch delegate lists to skew the outcome in favor of certain candidates.
The protesting members questioned the legitimacy of the entire process, insisting that the conference should not proceed without the rectification of these concerns.
In response to the mounting pressure and unresolved disputes, the ANC PEC decided to postpone the Peter Mokaba Regional Conference indefinitely on May 10.
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“We cannot proceed with a conference under these conditions. The integrity of the ANC’s internal democratic processes must be protected. We will continue to engage with all structures and ensure that due process is followed,” said ANC Limpopo spokesperson Jimmy Machaka
The indefinite postponement followed the failure of internal dispute resolution mechanisms. Some members bypassed regional processes and lodged complaints directly with ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, urging for the NEC to take over the matter.