/ 18 December 2012

ANC Free State PEC waits on ConCourt’s explanation

The Constitutional Court is due to reveal its reasons for declaring the ANC's Free State PEC unlawful.
The Constitutional Court is due to reveal its reasons for declaring the ANC's Free State PEC unlawful.

The Constitutional Court is scheduled to provide the reasons at the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court for its decision to declare the Free State's provincial executive committee (PEC) unlawful and invalid. The court also nullified all decision taken by the June conference.

While the ANC complied with the court ruling and dissolved the PEC, the ruling did not extend to voting delegates. Disgruntled members, who led the court action, said allowing these delegates to vote in the conference was in contempt of court.

The ANC appointed a task team to run the affairs of the Free State and reconvene the provincial conference, which will hold fresh elections for the PEC. 

On Sunday the court applicants threatened to interdict the Mangaung conference, saying the Free State should be excluded from voting. They argued that the court's judgment that nullified all decisions of the provincial conference and the PEC, including preparing for the national conference.

Most of the delegates from the Free State at the Mangaung conference are supporters of a second term for Jacob Zuma as president.