ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said: (Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu Motsili admitted the party structure in KwaZulu-Natal was not strong enough to withstand the challenges facing it.
Bengumotsili spoke to reporters in Boksburg on Monday ahead of a meeting of the ANC National Working Committee (NWC) and KwaZulu-Natal Executive Committee (PEC) to discuss the May 29 elections. The working committee was also scheduled to meet with the Gauteng PEC, but this was postponed.
The ANC received less than 17% of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal in the May elections, but this was due to several factors, including the growing influence of the Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party. .
The National Working Committee has been considering replacing the PECs in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal with task teams to strengthen the ANC's structure ahead of the 2026 local government elections. It is also considering the option of “reinforcing” them by sending in senior leaders to take command effectively in the state.
After the election, he visited both states to find out what went wrong and how to rebuild the party.
Bengu Motsili said it would be reckless for the ANC to not consider its electoral defeat and the impact it would have on the state of the party in the province.
“So, in a nutshell, we are not strong in KwaZulu-Natal and we are not strong enough to withstand the many challenges that political organizations face. This is why we are undertaking this refresher training in KwaZulu-Natal. That's why we're starting it.”
Bengu Motsili said the ANC was not “cornering” the province or focusing solely on it. “We continue to look at all states with the aim of identifying areas of strong strength, but also areas with particular challenges.”
Bengu Motsili said the meeting was a follow-up to the NWC's visit to KwaZulu-Natal and meetings with various regions, after which a report was compiled.
“KwaZulu-Natal contributes significantly to the national vote share and it is important to recognize that we have suffered there due to defections within the organization,” she said, adding that the ANC He added that KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng are important if a complete victory is to be achieved.
“You need to be able to not only win elections, but actually govern effectively and drive any agenda. In our case, that's a transformational agenda,” she said.
Last week, NWC members said: email and guardian He said the Gauteng PEC was likely to be disbanded due to its “arrogance”. Although the company is not yet at the stage of disbanding, it is said to be under consideration.
“The people of KZN are working hard and trying to gain ground. It is the case in Gauteng where I think we have to take a serious case. Their arrogance is a sign of what is happening on the ground. If you look at the problem, it doesn't exist anywhere,” the source said.
“We are not at the stage of dissolution and the situation is still too dangerous, but we are sure that the issues surrounding the problems we are seeing in the two states will be resolved.After our visit, if there is any improvement, They're safe. Without improvement, I think they're going to be in trouble.”
KwaZulu-Natal Chief Secretary Bheki Mtolo hit back at Luthuli House on Thursday in a commemorative speech in Stanger.
“NEC [national executive committee] led by [Cyril] with ramaphosa [Fikile] Mbalula lost the country by 40%. They have to take that responsibility. we are working on our own responsibility [Siboniso] We will lose the province by 17%,” Mtolo said, adding that the poor performance in KwaZulu-Natal was symptomatic of wider problems facing the ANC nationally.
He said internal divisions and a lack of accountability had left the party in turmoil and the ANC would continue to struggle to regain public trust until leaders at all levels accepted their role in this decline. He said he was deaf.
Mr Mutolo's comments appear to have infuriated the ANC's national leadership.
Bengu Motsili said various scenarios were being considered and the party would outline its plans in due course after the NEC meeting later this month.
Asked if the ANC was concerned that some of its members in KwaZulu-Natal were collaborating with the MK party, Mr Bhengu-Motsili said the ANC was not trying to take its leaders or members at face value. He said no.
“We believe that those who are no longer satisfied with the ANC are free to join either party,” she said.
“We fought for this democracy. We must not be those who are destroying it in any way, including collusion against those who are said to be part of the MK party. No.”
