ANC Eastern Cape secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi denied that he has resigned.

As a letter purporting that ANC Eastern Cape secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi has resigned circulates, he has denied doing so.

News24 has seen Ngcukayitobi’s resignation letter, dated 28 March, which was addressed to the ANC Eastern Cape provincial executive committee (PEC), secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, and the national executive committee.

“I pen this letter with the same spirit as the three previous attempts. For reasons that are known to many, among them the lack of organisational discipline among the collective I am leading.

“Notwithstanding the frustration I raised in the letter directed to national officials some time ago, the 9th PEC of the ANC in this province is utterly disgusting, and I refuse to be part of such an arrangement,” Ngcukayitobi said.

He said he was not in any position to be persuaded or dragged out of this decision “as it has transpired three times before”.

READ| ANC Eastern Cape conference chaos: Provincial secretary tells delegates to ‘go home’

However, Ngcukayitobi has distanced himself from the resignation letter, saying that it is “fake”.

Whether the resignation is true or not, this would not be the first time Ngcukayitobi would have resigned. He resigned in 2024 and had to be begged, even by national leaders, to remain in his position.

When the letter of resignation surfaced among delegates at the International Convention Centre (ICC), where they were being addressed by provincial chairperson, Oscar Mabuyane, who officially announced the postponement of the conference, there was jubilation among the delegates.

National convener to the Eastern Cape, Mmamoloko Kubayi, had to call for order and told the delegates to wait for her to verify the letter first.

Addressing delegates, Kubayi said: “The letter that was circulating, comrades, I have called the secretary and he said it is fake.”

To the disappointment of delegates, who also asked about the whereabouts of Ngcukayitobi, who was noticeably missing in the plenary, the delegates shouted: “Uphi? [Where is he].”

Others said:

News24 witnessed Ngcukayitobi driving out of the ICC after a special PEC meeting. This was after, in an unusual manner, he addressed delegates in his Land Cruiser.

Editor’s note: News24 previously reported that Ngcukayitobi had resigned as ANC Eastern Cape secretary. This story has been updated with additional details.