The ANC in Mangaung is heading for a second attempt at holding its long-awaited regional conference, setting the stage for another high-stakes political showdown expected to test party unity, leadership stability and organisational discipline in the metro.

The region suffered a major setback earlier this month when the conference, convened to elect a new regional executive committee, dramatically collapsed at the eleventh hour after national deployee Thandi Moraka announced that her team had uncovered serious credential irregularities after voting had already concluded.

Among the concerns raised were allegations that at least eight additional ballot papers had been inserted into the ballot box by unknown individuals after the voting process had ended.

ANC Free State provincial spokesperson Thabo Meeko has since confirmed that the conference will reconvene from today.

“As per the directive from the national leadership, all processes of the conference will start afresh. The nullification of the conference was largely due to the ballot not tallying with the voters’ roll, and as such, all processes were cancelled, including the credentials. The rerun conference will adopt its own credentials and continue with its business,” said Meeko.

The decision follows an instruction by ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula ordering a rerun of the Mangaung conference after a formal request by the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC).

In a letter addressed to Moraka and provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng, Mbalula directed that the conference be rerun on “a re-verified branch base, a re-issued Credentials Report and a properly signed-off voters’ roll.”

The letter, seen by Journal News, states that all procedural decisions taken during the abandoned conference have been nullified, including the adoption of a credentials report for 260 voting delegates.

“Every act purporting to flow from the day — the adoption of the Credentials Report (260 voting delegates), the unopposed declaration in respect of the Regional Treasurer, the cast and counted ballots, and every other procedural step — is set aside and of no force or effect. No certificate of outcome shall issue, no MMS update of any purported office-bearer shall be effected, and no public communication shall be made on the strength of those proceedings,” Mbalula wrote.

He said his office found that an unsigned voters’ roll, the failure to reconcile the attendance register with the adopted credentials report, eight excess ballots beyond the 260 accredited delegates, and lapses in venue access control had fatally undermined the credibility of the conference.