Lobbyists of two ANC presidential hopefuls in Mpumalanga have raised concerns over delegates that voted for "unity" as they claimed it was against ANC guidelines.

Those supporting the campaigns of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mathews Phosa for the ANC presidency said they were planning to approach the court to nullify the results of Friday's provincial general council.

During the PGC at the Mbombela Stadium, 223 branches voted for unity, while 123 voted for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and 117 for Ramaphosa for the president position.

Rules 11 and 12 of the ANC constitution stipulate that "a person must have been a member in good standing for at least 10 years" before they could be nominated to the national leadership. "Unity" is a non-person and is therefore not eligible to stand.

While the electoral commission ruled out unity as a voting option, Mpumalanga ANC chairman David Mabuza said unity was the option of all four regions of the province.

Sello Shai, who coordinates Ramaphosa's campaign in the province, said: "Unity can not be sustained chief, unity was just used to sway branches that wanted Ramaphosa from achieving their will.

"Unity was imposed. So the numbers 117 overall nomination for him is not the true reflection of the branches.

"As we said earlier, Phosa's side is going to court about this PGC and ourselves will also support him from our side too."

Phosa's campaign co-ordinator Ronnie Malomane confirmed yesterday they would approach a court in Pretoria today and join the Ramaphosa intervention.

"First there's no person called unity - I regard that as a synonym for the premier league," said Malomane.

"Mabuza and the PEC misled branches and we want the PEC to be disbanded."

He said they were approaching the court because the ANC had failed to resolve previous disputes.

Shai claimed PEC leaders had been bulldozing branch meetings, imposing unity.

The last PGCs will be held today in KZN and Limpopo.