He said the lawsuit was taking place against the backdrop of the ANC national leadership having taken the complaints through its internal processes.

“They define themselves outside the organisation. The ANC has dealt with those issues (complaints) and resolved them. By going to court, they have an agenda and the ANC will oppose their application,” he said.

The ANC has a congress resolution it took in Polokwane that members should exhaust internal processes before taking the party to court.

Ntuli was reacting to reports that five ANC members had filed papers in the Pietermaritzburg High Court in an attempt to have the outcomes of the ANC KwaZulu-Natal elective conference held at the province’s capital town late last year nullified.

The ANC was served with papers on Wednesday after the applicants apparently filed their papers at the high court last Friday in a sequel to the controversial elective conference.

At that conference, current ANC chairman, Sihle Zikalala, ousted his predecessor, Senzo Mchunu. But some members had lodged complaints with the national leaders and also marched to the provincial offices.

Despite this, in what could have been interpreted as dismissal of the members’ complaints, the provincial leaders were inducted last month.

This was subsequently followed by the sacking of Mchunu, a premier, and then the reshuffling of the provincial executive council and axing of MECs perceived to be aligned to Mchunu.

Ntuli said the ANC would oppose the lawsuit but that would take place after the municipal elections.

Independent political analyst, Thabani Khumalo, said the latest court action showed the ANC was a party in crisis.

“There was no need for the matter to have been taken to court,” Khumalo said.

He added that after the disgruntled members lodged complaints, the national leaders should have come back to them with answers.

Reporting by Mayibongwe Maqhina

[Source: Daily News]