A fresh legal dispute has emerged over the African National Congress’ appointment of a Provincial Task Team (PTT) in the Eastern Cape, following the party’s official inauguration of the new structure on Thursday at City Hall in KuGompo.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula led the inauguration as part of the organisation’s preparations for the upcoming local government elections. The move follows a National Executive Committee (NEC) decision to establish Provincial Task Teams in provinces where Provincial Executive Committees (PECs) have reached the end of their terms.
However, the inauguration has been overshadowed by legal objections raised by a group of ANC members challenging the legitimacy of the process.
In a legal letter dated 21 May 2026, attorneys representing Lwazi Rotya, Sinethemba Mpande and Nompumelelo Mzothwa questioned the reported appointment of the interim structure and demanded urgent clarity from the ANC leadership.
The letter states that the applicants were part of the court matter that resulted in the ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Conference being interdicted under case number 068221/2026.
According to the attorneys, additional legal proceedings are still pending, including a contempt of court application against Mbalula, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mamoloko Kubayi and Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane.
The lawyers argue that names of individuals allegedly appointed to the Provincial Task Team had already circulated in the media despite no formal communication being made to members of the current PEC regarding the dissolution of the structure or the establishment of an interim leadership body.
The legal representatives requested the ANC to urgently confirm whether a Provincial Task Team had officially been appointed in the Eastern Cape and to provide the NEC resolution authorising the move.
Despite the legal concerns, the ANC proceeded with Thursday’s inauguration, where the newly appointed task team was expected to receive its terms of reference to guide the organisation ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
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