The Western Cape African National Congress (ANC) could get a new leader by April 2017 should provincial leader Marius Fransman lose his appeal against his suspension, the party said on Tuesday.

Until then Fransman would remain the leader of the party provincially.

In the meantime, deputy chairperson Khaya Magaxa would keep acting in the post.

"Nobody is replacing Fransman. If he has appealed, he still remains provincial chairperson of the Western Cape," Magaxa told reporters.

Should Fransman lose his appeal, his position would be filled at the party's provincial general council (PGC), Magaxa said.

That was the level at which a position of this kind could be filled, the acting chairperson said.

"We had planned our PGC for April, even before this Fransman situation. So that's when it will be, or even earlier," Magaxa said.

Five-year suspension

He would not put his hat in the ring as it was not what he had signed up for, he said.

Branch representatives would discuss the chairperson post, if applicable at the time. They would also be allowed to make nominations.

"Out of that process, we will have the IEC [Electoral Commission of South Africa], who will be processing that at the time."

Magaxa said he and Fransman were clear about the acting chairperson's position.

"I availed myself for a deputy chairperson position, and I think I remain in that position until the conference of the ANC. I am not a material for a chairperson in the Western Cape. I can be a chairperson in Limpopo or somewhere else. But in the Western Cape, I believe strongly I am not the material for that," he said.

The ANC said on November 10 that Fransman's membership had been suspended for five years.

He was found guilty on two counts of misconduct related to his "abusing his office for the purpose of attempting to obtain a sexual favour from Louisa Wynand, and for making public statements which brought the ANC into disrepute".