ANC Sent Ntuli To Nkandla, But Zuma Had Other Plans, Mbalula Reveals

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has shared an interesting account of the African National Congress’s behind-the-scenes engagements with the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) during negotiations that eventually led to the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

According to Mbalula, he dispatched ANC national executive committee member Mdumiseni Ntuli to Nkandla to engage with former president and MK Party leader Jacob Zuma during the sensitive coalition negotiations.

However, what was expected to be an important political engagement reportedly took an unexpected turn, with Zuma entertaining Ntuli with maskandi music for the entire day.

Mbalula’s account offers an unusual glimpse into the political interactions that took place between senior ANC figures and Zuma as parties negotiated the country’s political future following the 2024 national and provincial elections.

The elections produced a significant shift in South Africa’s political landscape, with the ANC losing its long-standing parliamentary majority for the first time since the dawn of democracy in 1994.

The outcome forced the governing party to consider coalition arrangements with other political organisations to secure a working majority in Parliament.

Among the parties that emerged as important players in the negotiations was the MK Party, which had made a strong electoral showing, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal.

Led by Zuma, the party became a major political force and presented a significant challenge to the ANC, especially in a province that had traditionally been one of the governing party’s strongest electoral bases.

The ANC’s decision to engage with Zuma demonstrated the importance of securing support and exploring possible political arrangements with parties represented in Parliament.

However, the relationship between the ANC and the MK Party remained complicated, with deep political disagreements and tensions surrounding the leadership of the ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Mbalula’s account about Ntuli’s visit to Nkandla adds a humorous dimension to what was otherwise a tense period of political negotiations.

Zuma’s reported decision to play maskandi music throughout the day highlights the former president’s well-known association with the traditional Zulu music genre.

Although the anecdote does not establish what was discussed during the engagement or whether any political progress was achieved, it provides an unusual insight into the personalities and experiences behind South Africa’s coalition negotiations.

The episode also illustrates how political engagements can produce unexpected moments, even when the stakes involve major decisions about the country’s government.

Mbalula’s revelation is likely to attract attention as South Africans continue reflecting on the negotiations that reshaped the country’s political landscape.