ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s office had “resolved” that the event not be convened “at this time”.

It’s official – the ANC’s 10th Eastern Cape provincial conference has been postponed.

On Friday, secretary-general Fikile Mbalula addressed a letter to provincial officials, including chairperson contenders Lulama Ngcukayitobi and Oscar Mabuyane, as well as the provincial executive committee, to inform them of a decision to put the conference in abeyance.

In the letter, which News24 has seen, Mbalula said that, following the order of the Eastern Cape High Court in KuGompo City on Thursday, and after consultation and reviewing the legal processes surrounding the conference, his office had “resolved” that the event not be convened “at this time”.

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The conference was scheduled to run from Thursday to Sunday at the International Convention Centre in KuGompo City.

“The decision is taken in order to ensure full organisational discipline, legal prudence, and fidelity to the constitutional and governance obligations of the African National Congress, while safeguarding the integrity, credibility, and sustainability of the provincial conference process.

Mbalula wrote:

In the letter, Mbalula sang a different tune to the one he had sung at a press briefing on Tuesday, when he was adamant that nothing would stop the conference, except for a tsunami.

On Friday afternoon, the ANC is expected to argue an appeal against the High Court order interdicting the conference, and on Saturday, it also has to face a contempt of court case.