The fate of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal will be decided in the Pietermaritzburg high court on Thursday.

This comes as an appeal by the provincial executive against a legal challenge by a faction who lost at the 2015 conference will be announced in the high court.

The high-profile case has seen thousands turn up to support warring ANC factions in the province. The case was brought by ANC councillor Lawrence Dube and four others in May 2016‚ following results which saw former premier Senzo Mchunu being ousted as provincial chairperson and replaced by Sihle Zikalala.

The applicants claimed the conference was not only held prematurely‚ but that it was riddled with irregularities and that the results were rigged.

Both factions said on Wednesday they fancied their chances in the legal challenge.

ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma said that while they could not pre-empt the court judgement they believed they have a strong case. “We have a solid case that we presented to the judges. Losing is not on our minds but we still have a number of avenues open to us should things not go our way‚” said Zuma.

They have said previously that should they lose the appeal their faction will take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Spokesman for the applicants Sithembiso Mshengu was equally sanguine. “We are very confident about the merit and strength of our case. We believe it carries a lot of weight‚” he said.

Mshengu insisted that the ANC provincial executive committee was an illegitimate structure presiding over critical decision-making with far-reaching effects for the ANC rank and file.

“Fact of the matter is that the outcome of our case declared the PEC and the 2015 conference null and void. They have an obligation to follow processes‚” he said.

Mshengu said that even if the opposing faction further appeal they still needed to vacate office and fight the case outside political office.

In September the Pietermaritzburg High Court declared the conference null and void but the ANC appealed the following month.