D-Day for ANC in KZN as judge set to rule in rebels case

It's D-Day for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal as the Pietermaritzburg High Court is likely to rule on Tuesday whether 40 of the party's elected members should lose their positions over allegations of wrongdoing at the KZN elective conference in 2015.

In the so-called "ANC rebels case"‚ a faction supporting former KZN chairman and ousted premier Senzo Mchunu asked the court to declare the 2015 conference null and void‚ citing various irregularities. The application is led by Vryheid councillor Lawrence Dube and four other ANC members representing 43 branches. They went to court in July last year to ask for a rerun.

The legitimacy of Sihle Zikalala‚ who replaced Mchunu‚ KZN secretary Super Zuma and 38 other officials hangs in the balance as Judge Sharmaine Balton is expected to give her verdict.

The judgment could also have far-reaching ramifications for the party's national conference in December.

If the rebels win the case‚ the party is unlikely to have enough to time to hold the KZN conference before December. Also‚ some branches might not be ready in time to be accredited to attend the crucial December conference.

As a result‚ the ANC in KZN could potentially not be able to send as many delegates to the conference as it had hoped‚ which could dampen the presidential hopes of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma because the province is the former Africa Union chair's biggest backer.

At the last elective conference in Mangaung‚ KZN accounted for around 974 of the 4‚500 delegates. A Gauteng provincial executive member previously told TimesLIVE that it would be "worrisome" if KZN was disqualified‚ or partially disqualified.