Eight hundred names have already been put forward for ANC candidates to head to the National Assembly. 

However, speaking to Eyewitness News on Friday, ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said that the party would end up placing the top 25%, which is about 200 nominees, on the party’s list for Parliament, and then discuss where the remaining candidates will be placed. 

The party is currently holding its national list conference in Durban to decide who it will send to Parliament and the various legislatures after the national elections. The conference is expected to end on Saturday.

All the provinces have concluded their provincial list conferences except the North West.  

The North West is holding its provincial conference on Saturday, but Duarte told Eyewitness News that the party did not think it would affect the national list process. She said the provincial conference would deal mainly with who goes to legislature. 

On Wednesday, the North West postponed its provincial list conference for the second time, News24 reported. 

The initial list conference, which was meant to take place in December, was postponed after it was marred by violence that left some delegates injured.

eNCA reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa and other key ANC national executive committee (NEC) members are attending this weekend’s conference. Former president Jacob Zuma is also in Durban. 

After the list conference is concluded an ordinary NEC meeting, where the January 8th statement is likely to be discussed, is expected to be held. 

On Thursday, the ANC said it would transport tens of thousands of its members in more than 1 300 buses to Durban for the party’s manifesto launch and January 8th celebration, which take place on January 12, reported News24. 

ANC elections head Fikile Mbalula said the event would be a “humdinger”.

“Primarily, people from KZN will attend, but others from across the provinces will also descend on Durban. We are ready for the manifesto and have done a lot of consultation on it.”

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.

– FOLLOW News24 on Twitter