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ANC fails to provide crucial records, dimming hopes for Eastern Cape conference

Hopes for the ANC's interdicted provincial conference in the Eastern Cape are diminishing as the party has not yet provided branch attendance registers, which are considered vital for proving the legitimacy of the postponed gathering. Dissatisfied members had demanded electronic membership system records of branch attendances for 2025 and 2026, along with minutes and signed registers from all branch general meetings held before the conference. Applicant Lwazi Rotya, one of three members who successfully interdicted the conference on March 26, stated in an affidavit that ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula had promised the court that raw attendance data would be available for inspection by the applicants' lawyers. However, Rotya claims his lawyers were shown spreadsheets that did not resemble the required raw electronic data. Rotya, Sinethemba Mpande, and Nompumelelo Mzothwa argued that the scheduled meeting was irregular and violated ANC constitutional provisions and conference guidelines. They contend that their rights as members were undermined and that verified branch attendance information is necessary to demonstrate that meetings were properly organized and quorated, a prerequisite for a provincial conference. Rotya accused the ANC of acting disingenuously by offering incomplete data and alleged manipulation within the party's membership system, including "ID harvesting" and fraudulent branch meetings. The applicants are also challenging the final verification of pre-co