- KwaZulu-Natal proposes delaying leadership elections until after 2026.
- NEC insists conferences must go ahead this year.
- NGC seen as a make-or-break moment for the ANC.
Top ANC leaders have admitted the organisation is facing a severe crisis as it heads into its National General Council (NGC) in December.
National chairperson Gwede Mantashe and NEC member Dr Zweli Mkhize told gatherings this past weekend that the party must urgently find solutions to save itself from decline.
Speaking in the Eastern Cape, Mantashe claimed that the ANC’s problems had gotten so bad that prayer was required.
“We may take this lightly, but we truly need prayer in this situation,” he said, warning against internal divisions.
Mkhize Warns Against Infighting
Mkhize echoed Mantashe’s concerns, stressing that delegates should focus on renewal rather than factional battles.
“We are here because our branches sent us. We were not sent to fight our personal battles,” he told ANC members.
Both leaders condemned those pushing for leadership conferences, arguing that the obsession with positions was weakening the party at a critical time.
KwaZulu-Natal Calls for Delays
In KwaZulu-Natal, ANC leader Rich Zwane suggested postponing provincial and regional conferences planned for November, warning they would distract from preparing for the 2026 local government elections.
“These conferences often leave scars. After fighting, it becomes difficult to work together. If we push ahead, the ANC may lose municipalities,” he said.
Zwane proposed that interim leadership remain until after the elections.
NEC Insists Conferences Must Go On
But ANC NEC member Phumulo Masualle pushed back, insisting that provincial conferences must take place before the end of 2025.
Both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng are under interim structures after their leadership was dissolved following the ANC’s poor performance in the 2024 national elections.
“By year-end, these conferences must be concluded. In 2026, our focus must be fully on elections,” Masualle said.
December NGC: A Turning Point
The December NGC is expected to be one of the ANC’s most defining gatherings. In order to stabilize the party, delegates will discuss policies, evaluate the work of the leadership, and choose strategies.
For many observers, the conference represents a make-or-break moment for South Africa’s governing party.