Lungisa Draws A Line In The Sand: No Mbalula Or Mokonyane Allowed To Lead Eastern Cape Power Talks

Andile Lungisa has reportedly indicated that he intends to take charge of coalition negotiations in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, signalling a potential confrontation with the ANC’s national leadership over who should steer the party’s post-election political engagements.

Lungisa says he will no longer accept instructions from the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) or senior party officials when it comes to negotiating political power in metropolitan municipalities.

In a strong message directed at the party’s national leadership, he reportedly made it clear that ANC heavyweights, including Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, First Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane, Febe Potgieter and Mdu Ntuli, should not be allowed to lead negotiations in the Eastern Cape.

Instead, Lungisa appears determined to lead the negotiations himself in Nelson Mandela Bay, a politically significant municipality where coalition arrangements could determine the future of local governance.

His remarks raise questions about the relationship between provincial and national leadership structures within the ANC, particularly as the party navigates the complex political landscape following the 2026 local government elections.

The development could also expose growing tensions over the authority to negotiate coalition agreements, with Lungisa seemingly insisting that local political dynamics should be handled by leaders who understand the realities on the ground.

However, his reported defiance of senior ANC officials could create further divisions within the party if national leadership insists on maintaining control over coalition negotiations.

Whether Lungisa’s position reflects a broader internal rebellion or a personal political strategy remains to be seen.

For now, his remarks have placed him at the centre of an unfolding political battle over who controls the ANC’s coalition negotiations in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Source;https://x.com/Constitution_94/status/2119362449044291876

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