The ANC's eThekwini region will hold its sixth regional conference again to determine who will lead the party's largest region, it said on Tuesday.

A decision to reconvene the conference was taken after African National Congress national officials called for it to be reconvened, the party's KwaZulu-Natal secretary Sihle Zikalala said in a statement.

When it was held on February 14, current eThekwini metro mayor James Nxumalo was elected chairman of the region in a tightly contested ballot that saw him edge out Zandile Gumede by 253 votes to 212.

However, after the conference was held it emerged three branches which had not been properly audited had been allowed to participate in electing the party's office bearers for the region.

In addition, there were claims that ANC members were paid nearly R1 million to vote for Nxumalo. This was according to a letter sent by a Durban branch deputy chairman to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe and Zikalala.

"After robust and sober engagement, the PEC (provincial executive committee) collectively adopted the decision of the national leadership that there is a need for the conference to be reconvened so that all comrades can be satisfied," Zikalala said.

The conference was cancelled three times before it was ultimately held in Durban on February 14.

Zikalala said a date for the conference still had to be determined.