The ANC’s West Rand regional conference this weekend faced growing questions after an official verification report appeared to approve branches before their meetings have taken place.
The final “verification report”, signed by secretary-general Fikile Mbalula on April 12, 2026, states that the region met the minimum requirement to hold a conference.
It recorded 71 qualified branches out of 102, exactly the 70% threshold set by the ANC constitution.
But the same document shows that several branches listed as “qualified” only held their branch general meetings or branch biennial general meetings (BGM/BBGM) after April 12.
Some were dated April 13, 14 and 15, after the report was signed.
In one case, a Merafong branch was recorded as having met on July 14, 2026, yet was already marked as qualified in the April report.
This raised a basic question: how were branches verified before their meetings happened?
Under ANC rules, only branches that have properly held BGMs or BBGMs and are in good standing can count towards the 70% needed to hold a conference.
The report says 80 branches were verified, with 71 qualifying, six disqualified, and three invalid because they had fewer than 100 members.
That left no margin for error. The region met the threshold by a single branch. If any of the disputed or irregular branches were excluded, the total could fall below the required 70%, which would affect whether the conference could legally proceed.
The report also flags technical problems in the verification process. It says six branches had “no scanning results”, likely due to poor internet connectivity during the digital verification process.
While presented as a technical issue, it raised further concerns about whether all qualifying branches were properly audited in line with ANC guidelines.
The conference was expected to go ahead that weekend as part of a broader push by the ANC to finalise outstanding conferences across the country.
The timing inconsistencies in the report were likely to fuel internal disputes, particularly over whether the verification process was complete when the region was declared ready.
In a letter dated April 21, 2026, lawyers representing ANC members in the region said there were “significant procedural irregularities and non-compliance with established guidelines” in how branch meetings were conducted.
The lawyers pointed to ANC rules that state that the final verification report must be signed at least 14 days before a conference and that “no further BGMs may be conducted after the final verification report is signed off”.
The letter also raises concerns about how branch meetings were conducted on the ground. It claimed that some BGMs and BBGMs were held “without the required 7 days notice to all members in good standing”.
Other concerns included claims that meeting materials “were not sealed” and in some cases appeared to be “photocopied”, raising fears of tampering with official processes.
The lawyers also alleged that some meetings were held in venues that were not properly approved and that in certain cases members were prevented from attending.
Sunday World heard that like other ANC structures in Gauteng, the region was divided between supporters of Premier Panyaza Lesufi—who allegedly have an upper hand—as well as those of social development MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.
The Lesufi-aligned group is led by the regional chairperson and mayor of Rand West City Local Municipality, William Matsheke; regional secretary Mkhuseli Jokazi, who is also a chief whip of Rand West; and current deputy secretary and MMC for finance in Merafong Local Municipality, Mcebisi Moyeni, who are contesting as one slate.
On the same slate, Mogale City mayor, Lucky Sele, is contesting for regional deputy chairperson, and Nozuko Best, also mayor of Merafong Local Municipality, is contesting for the regional treasurer position.
When questioned, Mbalula said that the conference will sit. He then referred questions to ANC spokesperson Hlengiwe Bhengu, who did not respond at the time of going to print.
- The ANC West Rand regional conference faced scrutiny after a verification report approved branches as qualified before their meetings occurred, raising questions about the legitimacy of the process.
- The report, signed by Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula on April 12, 2026, stated the region met the 70% branch qualification threshold needed to hold the conference, but some branch meetings were dated after this signing.
- Issues in the verification process included technical problems like missing digital scan results, possible procedural irregularities, and allegations of non-compliance with ANC rules regarding meeting notices, venue approval, and material handling.
- A legal challenge from ANC members cited irregularities, including late held branch meetings, lack of member notification, potential tampering with documents, and member exclusion, questioning the legality of proceeding with the conference.
- The region is divided politically between supporters of Premier Panyaza Lesufi and MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, with key leadership positions contested by Lesufi-aligned candidates; despite concerns, the conference is expected to proceed.
