Recently ousted Eastern Cape premier Nosimo Balindlela on Monday joined other senior ANC members in resigning from the party and backing the soon to be formed breakaway party.

In a letter to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe, Balindlela said since the ANC's Polokwane conference in December last year, the Eastern Cape, as a province, had accepted the results of the conference and readied themselves to work for unity and cohesion under the new ANC leadership.

This was despite the fact that the province had voted for the third term of former president Thabo Mbeki.

"However, to our amazement, the newly elected NEC [national
executive committee], and in particular yourself, comrade SG, came down blazing upon the PEC [provincial executive committee] with unilateral decisions that were controversial and divisive in nature -- completely
void of ANC polices," she said.

"In a spate of rushed meetings between the PEC and the NWC [national working committee] you alleged that there were 'three wild dogs' that were destabilising the Eastern Cape.

"You personally mentioned me as one of those alleged 'wild dogs'. Your public humiliation of me while I was in China on government business and during the press statement I gave left much to be desired."

Balindlela said that at the time of these allegations, she was directly engaged in government work addressing the poverty in the province.

"For every hastily and uniformed decision taken by you and the NEC and imposed on the province, we were left to take the blame.

"This resulted in my removal as the premier of the Eastern Cape following calls from the alliance partners in the province," she said.

These very decisions were made by NEC members deployed in the Province -- some of whom were implicated in the corrupt practices highlighted by the Pillay Commission of Enquiry.

"I regret to say that, to date, the ANC and the NEC have remained 'mum' and actionless."

The Pillay Commission Report remained "locked" within the provincial legislature where certain ANC members tried to "sidetrack" the issues by alleging that the money spent on the commission did not warrant the findings or the value received.

"After due consideration, I have decided to resign as a member of the ANC with immediate effect.

"It is my intention to join the convention movement led by Comrades [Terror] Lekota, [Mbhazima] Shilowa, and [Mluleki] George.

"The ANC has its enemies within -- these 'internal enemies' are the very comrades who disregard the rule of law, who fail to uphold constitutional rights and the principles in the Freedom Charter and enjoy paying lip service to woman's issues -- this is leading to a rapid reversal of political gains in the country.

"I feel that I can no longer be a spectator to the loss of social and moral values embedded in the Constitution of South Africa."

Balindlela said a number of unanswered truths left her with no other alternative than to completely break with the ANC and tender her resignation.