Court Fight Over Joburg ANC Conference Far From Over

The political drama inside the ANC’s Johannesburg structures is far from settled, and now it is heading back to court.

What began as a dispute over the outcomes of a December regional conference has evolved into a drawn-out legal battle that could ripple into the party’s preparations for the 2026 local government elections. At the centre of it all is ANC member Stanley Itshegetseng, who is refusing to back down despite an early courtroom setback.

A Conference That Sparked A Political Storm

The December conference reshaped leadership dynamics in Johannesburg. Former regional chairperson and current mayor Dada Morero was replaced by Loyiso Masuku, a shift that immediately raised eyebrows within party ranks.

For Itshegetseng, the outcome did not just represent a leadership change, it raised deeper concerns about how the election itself was handled.

He initially took his grievances to ANC leadership, writing to secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and later to Gauteng provincial coordinator Hope Papo. But with no formal internal resolution communicated, he turned to the courts.

First Court Bid Falls Short

Itshegetseng’s first legal attempt aimed to block the newly elected regional executive committee from exercising its powers while a review of the conference was underway.

That bid was unsuccessful.

Judge Wilhelmina du Plessis struck the application from the roll, ordering costs against him. While acknowledging that his concerns about internal democracy were genuine, the court made it clear that those concerns did not justify bypassing the ANC’s own dispute-resolution processes.

The judgment pointed to the party’s layered system for resolving disputes, which moves from branch level up to national structures. According to the court, Itshegetseng should have exhausted those internal channels before approaching the judiciary.

Allegations Of Irregularities Remain

Despite the setback, the substance of Itshegetseng’s complaint has not disappeared. His legal team has indicated that the review application, often referred to as “Part B”, will proceed once updated legal papers are exchanged.

At the heart of his case are allegations that cast doubt on the integrity of the conference process.

These include claims of a conflict of interest involving the external agency tasked with running the election, concerns over results not being announced during the conference itself, and accusations that outcomes may have been altered afterwards to meet gender parity requirements.

There are also claims about ballot papers being found opened at a private residence, a detail that has added another layer of controversy to an already tense situation.

Bigger Stakes For The ANC In Joburg

This legal fight is not happening in isolation. Johannesburg remains one of the ANC’s most politically contested metros, where internal divisions often spill into public view.

With preparations already underway for the 2026 local government elections and a provincial conference looming, uncertainty around the legitimacy of regional leadership could have wider consequences.

Itshegetseng has argued that decisions taken by the current leadership, including potential moves affecting Morero’s political future, make the outcome of the review urgent.

What Happens Next

The matter is now expected to return to the Gauteng High Court in the coming months, where the focus will shift from urgent relief to a full review of what happened at the conference.

For now, the ANC’s Johannesburg leadership continues to operate as elected, but the legal cloud hanging over it is not going away anytime soon.

If anything, this case highlights a broader tension within South African politics, where internal party disputes increasingly find their way into courtrooms, testing both party constitutions and the limits of judicial intervention.