The African National Congress has rejected proposals to expand its top six with a second deputy president and two additional deputy secretary generals.
The party's 4776 delegates voted via a show of hands on various party constitutional amendments during its first closed session on Sunday.
Some of the proposals to be debated included adding a second deputy president and two additional deputy secretary generals to the party's top six.
News24 has learnt that both proposals were shot down.
A proposal to add just one deputy secretary general to the top six will be debated in another session.
North West ANC chairperson Supra Mahumapelo earlier said delegates felt the party needed to apply its mind over an additional deputy president, and it could be considered at the next conference.
There is a proposal that there must be two deputy presidents. We asked the delegates this morning, and they said there is no reason to change. Let's do it in the next conference.
"We have not done proper mind application. We have not even said what is the other deputy president then going to do. It's not in the party's [plan for] organisational renewal, or the constitution."
Delegates supporting Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were supportive of the idea of a second deputy secretary general though, he said.
The first deputy secretary general would theoretically be responsible for organisational development, and the other for performance monitoring and evaluation of government.
Branches did not nominate for a second deputy secretary general during branch general meeting processes over the last month. Candidates will likely be nominated from the floor for that possible seventh position.
On Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma's slate, current deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte was nominated to return to the position. Speculation is that Fikile Mbalula or Nomvula Mokonyane could be nominated for second deputy secretary general, were the party to formally adopt the proposal.
On Cyril Ramaphosa's slate, provinces have differed on their preferred choice for first deputy secretary general. Some nominated Zingiswa Losi, first deputy president of Cosatu, while others nominated Vuyiswa Tulelo.
All amendments to the ANC's constitution requires a two-thirds (67%) majority to pass.
The session to nominate positions for the party's ex-officio team is expected to commence at 16:00.