ANC Free State delegates can still attend the national conference‚ but provincial chairman Ace Magashule is expected to be stripped off his power‚ the high court in Bloemfontein ruled on Friday.

But it is unclear what the position is because the applicants claim that this ruling strips the provincial executive committee of its power whereas‚ according to attorney Hanno Bekker‚ the respondents say the former PEC is still in control of the province.

This PEC is led by Magashule. The court was silent on relief sought by the applicant to bar the PEC from attending the ANC national conference.

The high court declared that the provincial conference held this past weekend‚ including all decisions and resolutions taken there‚ was unlawful and void.

The new leadership of the Free State was elected in Parys last weekend‚ after its official mandate expired in May year. This means the province has no leadership to take to conference.

This is the court’s third blow to the Dlamini-Zuma faction in one day - on the cusp of the ANC conference kicking off on Saturday.

The court held that barring all the delegates would violate the constitutional rights of those who were lawfully elected. It is unclear how the judgment will affect the Free State delegation.

Magashule is touted as the candidate for secretary general of the party on presidential candidate Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma's slate.