Johannesburg - The contentious issue of eligibility of some delegates to participate in the ANC elective conference became the first hurdle on the first day of the ANC elective conference.





Independent Media understands that the first day of the crucial gathering concluded with the failure to adopt credentials, calling into question whether a new leadership would be announced on Sunday evening.





This comes as sources told Independent Media that Baleka Mbete, the party's national chairperson, told conference delegates that estimations from the leadership was that it would take "hours to clean up the credentials".





Jessie Duarte, the ANC's deputy secretary-general, told the open plenary session on Saturday, after President Jacob Zuma's political address, that the conference programme had been delayed due to the issue of credentials.





Credentials of delegates have to be adopted by the conference in order for voting of new leaders to proceed.





Just before 11pm on Saturday, it was decided to adjourn the first day as there was still a delay on the credentials' adoption.





Delegates will return at 9am on Sunday to try and adopt credentials.





Meanwhile, supporters of ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is a presidential hopeful, held a caucus meeting late on Saturday evening, where Gauteng ANC chairperson Paul Mashatile addressed the delegates.





A video, which Independent Media has seen, showed Mashatile talking to delegates.





Mashatile was nominated by five provinces to be the party's next treasurer-general; the same provinces which nominated Ramaphosa tp succeed Zuma.





@khayakoko88