ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has unveiled a 39-member provincial task team to steer the Eastern Cape to its next elective conference.The task team, announced late on Wednesday, replaces the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC), which was dissolved last week after its four-year term had lapsed in late March, without it having held an elective conference.An elective conference was abandoned and placed in abeyance after the process was interdicted by disgruntled party members who had complained of irregularities in branch meetings ahead of the conference.The provincial ANC, together with their national counterparts, later appealed the court’s decision. The national body has since withdrawn from court proceedings, which are still ongoing. Most of the members of the original provincial executive committee were retained in the provincial task team, which comprises 20 senior female leaders and 19 males, drawn from the province’s eight regions.Most of the party’s top five provincial leaders were retained as the new task team officials, though former provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi was a surprise exclusion.Replacing Ngcukayitobi in the top five is Amathole district council chief whip Nanziwe Rulashe-Nesi, who doubled as the outgoing provincial executive committee member and the party’s provincial elections officer.Ngcukayitobi will now form part of the task team’s additional members, reducing his influence in provincial party politics.Former provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane was named the task team’s provincial convenor, with former provincial deputy chair Mlungisi Mvoko as his deputy.Former provincial deputy secretary Helen Sauls-August takes over as the task team co-ordinator. Sauls-August’s deputy is Rulashe-Nesi, while former provincial treasurer Zolile Williams is the task team’s provincial fundraiser.Other surprise omissions from the task team are social development MEC Bukiwe Fanta and Thandekile Sabisa of the OR Tambo region.New additions to the provincial leadership are Ingquza Hill municipality mayor Nonkosi Pepping; former OR Tambo regional chair Xolile Nkompela; and former Bhisho legislature deputy speaker Mlibo Qoboshiyane, who returns to provincial leadership after being in the wilderness for several years.In a letter to the provincial leadership late on Wednesday, Mbalula said the task team will function together with the ex-officio leadership of the movement in the province, in line with the national constitution. “The orderly handover of the affairs of the province to the task team shall be completed within 14 days of the date of this letter, in accordance with a handover protocol to be issued by the office of the secretary-general,” the letter states.“From the date of this letter, every structure of the African National Congress in the Eastern Cape shall place itself under the political and organisational leadership of the task team,” Mbalula wrote.He said the composition of the task team was in no way a disregarding of the ongoing court processes that had interdicted the party’s provincial conference.“The ANC respects the authority of the courts ... and remains in full and faithful compliance with every operative order,” he said.“Nothing in this letter or in the decisions communicated is to be construed as a departure from that compliance, and all rights, defences and remedies of the ANC in respect of any pending proceedings are expressly reserved.“It is upon the expiry of the said term and in the discharge of the constitutional duty of the national executive committee that the operative decisions communicated have been taken.”Provincial chairs and provincial secretaries of the ANC Women’s League, the ANC Youth League and the ANC Veterans’ League will also form part of the task team as ex officio members.The rest of the task team:Clara Yekiso, Avela Mjajubana, Yanga Zicina, Nqabisa Gantsho, Loyiso Magqashela, Lindelwa Dunjwa, Lindiwe Gunuza, Monica Qaba, Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi, Virginia Camelio Benjamin, Balungile Sapo, Fundile Gade, Sixolile Mehlomakhulu, Nonkqubela Pieters, Sindile Toni, Nozibele Nyalambisa, Thokozile Sokanyile, Nontuthuzelo Maqubela, Mthetheleli Sam, Nomhle Sango, Siyabulela Zangqa, Mpumelelo Khuzwayo, Mncedisi Nontsele, Nkompela, Wongama Gela, Nomamfengu Siyo-Sokutu, Daniswa Mafumbatha, Nozandile Mhlola, Mawethu Rune, Nonceba Kontsiwe, and Xolile Nqatha.Mlibo Qoboshiyane (Supplied) Xolile Nkompela (Supplied) Click here to join the Daily Dispatch’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phoneDaily Dispatch