Fikile Mbalula denies BUYING his way into ANC secretariat
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has strongly denied allegations that he used money to secure his election at the party’s 55th National Conference,…
The Full Story
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has strongly denied allegations that he used money to secure his election at the party’s 55th National Conference, saying he has instructed his lawyers to seek clarity from fellow ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
The allegations emerged during an episode of the Renaissance Podcast hosted by former EFF MP Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, which aired on Monday.
Money played a significant role
During the interview, Dlamini-Zuma claimed that money played a significant role in the ANC’s 2022 elective conference and alleged that Mbalula openly distributed cash in a bid to secure support for his election as secretary-general.
“And also, Mbalula was dishing the money in the clinic, so money has played a role in the ANC,” Dlamini-Zuma said.
When Ndlozi asked whether the money was handed out openly, she replied: “Openly, yeah, it wasn’t like a secret.”
Asked whether the alleged payments were intended to secure Mbalula’s election as secretary-general, she responded: “To be elected and for the president to be elected.”
Dlamini-Zuma further alleged that the ANC’s current top seven officials were effectively elected through the use of money.
When Ndlozi pointed out that the ANC’s rules prohibit the use of money to influence conference outcomes, Dlamini-Zuma said: “Money was used clearly. We all know. We all saw it. At least in 2022, we saw it.”
“If you ask anyone who worked at the clinic at the time, they’ll tell you. Even the media reported it… I’m not revealing a secret. The media reported it at that time.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mbalula dismissed the allegations as false and damaging.
He said he had instructed his legal team to formally seek clarity from Dlamini-Zuma regarding what he described as “very damaging and painful allegations.”
The ANC secretary-general has rejected any suggestion that he bought support during the conference, where he was elected to one of the party’s top leadership positions.
The allegations have once again thrust the issue of money in ANC internal elections into the spotlight, although Dlamini-Zuma has not publicly produced evidence to support her claims. Mbalula’s legal response could set the stage for a further public or legal confrontation between two senior members of the governing party.