Party members have been told to shut up but even Zuma and Mantashe are getting in on the issue.
Lashing out at those in his party supporting Julius Malema, Jacob Zuma has warned there is no future in the ANC for those who are ill-disciplined.
The ANC has said any pronouncements by its youth league about who it is backing in the party’s leadership succession race are "void of impact".
Most ANC provinces would like the party’s leadership succession debate to be opened immediately despite the NEC’s decision to ban all discussion.
Relations between Zwelinzima Vavi and Sdumo Dlamini have deteriorated so much that Cosatu set up a high-level committee to address the issues.
The ANC NGC may formally claim to be a forum for discussion and review, but the succession question remains the elephant in the room.