Dr Rubusana regional conference has been postponed

The Dr WB Rubusana regional conference has been shelved until next weekend to help deal with outstanding disputes.

The elective meeting was meant to start tomorrow at the Osner Hotel on East London’s Esplanade, where more than 180 branch delegates were to elect new leaders.

But DispatchLive can reveal that the party's secretary-general has instructed the provincial leaders to delay the meeting until next weekend, as some ANC members are threatening to go to court if the conference goes ahead this weekend.

The Dispatch has seen the letter, dated August 23, in which the party's provincial secretary, Lulama Ngcukayiyobi, cites three main reasons for the delay. 

He writes: "There are outstanding disputes from branches that are yet to be resolved by the Provincial Appeals Committee.

"There are pending appeals against the findings of the Provincial Appeals

Committee that must be attended to by the National Appeals Committee," and the PEC has "received a letter from a member threatening to litigate the Regional Conference."

Expected to contest as chairman is outgoing regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo, Buffalo City mayor Xola Pakati who wants to serve a second term as regional chairman and BCM mayoral committee member Sindile Toni.

Outgoing ANC regional treasurer Ncedo Kumbaca, who is among the party’s top officials, confirmed the conference’s postponement.​

This is a developing story.