The ANC's national executive committee (NEC) wants KwaZulu-Natal to hold its abandoned elective conference by the end of next month.
The party has also instructed its members to resolve all concerns relating to the conference to avoid a legal battle with disgruntled members.
The provincial task team was forced to abandon its conference, which was scheduled for earlier this month, after members from the Moses Mabhida, Harry Gwala and Lower South Coast regions successfully applied for an urgent interdict in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg, while delegates were registering to attend.
The members complained about illegitimate processes leading up to the conference.
The ANC in the province converted the elective conference into a consultative one but was later forced to abandon it altogether as stark divisions played out.
The special NEC meeting was held on Monday to discuss the state of the provinces, with a focus on the Eastern Cape, the Free State and the North West.
The party's highest decision-making body instructed the national dispute resolution committee to work with the provincial task team to resolve the disputes and avoid the legal challenge currently before the court.
"In this regard, it would be possible to render the legal contestation redundant," reads a statement issued by secretary general Ace Magashule.
The ANC is concerned that the divisions in its biggest province will affect its preparations for the 2019 elections. The province has been operating with an interim structure since the 2015 elective conference was nullified by the court late last year.
"Deployees will ensure that the KZN provincial conference, when it sits before July, focuses on substantive issues of social transformation, organisational renewal and a decisive victory in the elections," Magashule added.
"The special NEC noted that the challenges in the province can be resolved."
The ANC is also embroiled in legal challenges in Eastern Cape and Free State over disputed elective conferences.
The NEC said it will continue to facilitate a political solution for the Eastern Cape and has accepted the outcomes of the Free State elective conference but urged all newly-elected leaders to work with disgruntled members.
The party has also urged members to rather exhaust internal processes and asked its leaders to follow the party's constitution to avoid party matters being resolved in court.
"The NEC implored responsible leadership structures and collectives at all levels to abide by the letter and spirit of the ANC constitution in how they oversee and run organisational processes and give ANC members the space to be heard and raise their grievances and complaints," Magashule said.
Magashule also confirmed that the NEC instructed the national working committee (NWC) to decide on the candidate to replace Supra Mahumapelo as premier of the North West.
The NWC has a tight deadline for Thursday or it risks the provincial legislature being dissolved.
"In this regard, a special NWC will sit on Wednesday to conclude the matter," he said.
- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter