Secretary General Fikile Mbalula Sends Strong Message To ANC Former Leaders Over Their Conduct

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has delivered a stern message about the conduct of former leaders of the African National Congress, warning that no individual should ever consider themselves bigger than the organisation, regardless of the position they once held or the respect they command.

Speaking on the ANC Connect Podcast, Mbalula placed particular emphasis on the authority of the party’s internal structures, reminding members that the National Executive Committee (NEC) is the highest decision-making body of the ANC between conferences.

He argued that when individuals begin to believe they are bigger than the organisation and choose to express their positions outside established structures, their conduct borders on ill-discipline.

Mbalula also raised concerns about individuals who, in his view, misinterpret the respect they receive from others as a sign that people fear them. He suggested that this can create a false sense of importance, leading some personalities to believe they enjoy a special status that places them above the organisation’s rules and structures.

Interestingly, the Secretary-General used his own eventual retirement as an example, explaining that even after leaving active leadership, he would still have to remain mindful of the ANC’s structures.

He acknowledged that he would continue expressing his opinions and writing about issues affecting the organisation, but insisted that doing so would never justify disregarding the structures that govern the ANC. He said he would have to recognise when his conduct crossed the line into ill-discipline.

Mbalula then turned his attention directly to former ANC leaders, arguing that their experience and influence should be used to help the organisation rebuild itself rather than accelerate its destruction.

He stressed that former leaders have a responsibility towards the ANC, particularly given the organisation’s position as the country’s biggest governing party. Rather than contributing to its decline, they should be helping it overcome its challenges and strengthen its future.

His remarks carry a pointed message about the responsibility that comes with having served in the highest positions of the organisation. According to Mbalula, leaving office does not mean abandoning the responsibility to protect and strengthen the ANC.

The Secretary-General’s comments also bring the issue of public disagreements within the party into focus, particularly the question of whether former leaders should use their influence outside internal structures when expressing dissatisfaction with the organisation’s direction.

At the heart of his message is the insistence that the ANC must remain bigger than any individual, and that those who have benefited from its leadership structures should also respect and defend the institution that gave them their positions.

https://x.com/mbalulafikile/status/2121431957775020526?s=46

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