- The ANC's provincial executive committees pronounced on candidates for leadership positions.
- Kgalema Motlanthe said the pronouncements were undemocratic and a breach of the ANC's electoral rules.
- He requested that ANC leaders desist from influencing the decisions of branches.
ANC provinces and regions, which had pronounced on preferred candidates for leadership positions, acted against the party's electoral rules, says electoral committee chairperson, Kgalema Motlanthe.
In a letter to the ANC's acting secretary-general, Paul Mashatile, dated 23 September, which News24 has seen, Motlanthe expresses concern about the recent pronouncements made by provinces and regions.
In recent weeks, ANC provinces and regions revealed their desired leaders, ahead of the nomination process for the party's national executive committee (NEC).
The ANC in Gauteng, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape pronounced support for President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mashatile's bid for the ANC's deputy presidency received endorsement from supporters and opponents of Ramaphosa.
Zweli Mkhize and Nomvula Mokonyane were named as desired candidates for president and deputy secretary-general.
The ANC formulated rules to govern the party's electoral process ahead of the national conference.
The rules were rubber-stamped by the NEC and were intended to make the process fair and democratic.
A clear road map on contestation was a first for the party and was intended to do away with slate campaigning and provide a democratic campaign environment.
Motlanthe, however, was concerned that pronouncements by provinces and regions would taint the decisions of branches.
The nomination process closes on 2 October.
"The electoral committee is extremely disappointed and concerned about the recent pronouncements by certain provincial and regional structures regarding their preferred candidates for certain NEC positions.
"The electoral committee wishes to request you to issue a directive dissuading all ANC structures and leaders from making these premature and undemocratic pronouncements of their preferred candidates," Motlanthe wrote to Mashatile.
Motlanthe said all provinces and leaders should "stop all attempts to influence nominations from above, and this is unduly pressuring branches to nominate their preferred candidates".
He said the electoral rules were intended to rid the party of factionalism and "darkroom dealings" by leaders.
Earlier this year, Motlanthe said ANC members who failed to follow the electoral rules would face sanctions via a disciplinary process.