Mbalula Warns Lesufi: “Campaigning Against Me… Mind Your Steps”

The political landscape within the African National Congress (ANC) has recently witnessed tensions between Fikile Mbalula and Panyaza Lesufi. In a bold statement, Mbalula cautioned Lesufi to “mind his steps” amidst discussions surrounding independence of thought within the party.

Mbalula Talking About Lesufi

In an interview with eNCA on Sunday, Mbalula, talking about Lesufi said he would not allow “rogueness” in the party.

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“I called Lesufi and told him he should not behave like Solly Mapaila, who is the SACP general secretary. We are in the ANC here. I’ve given him that platform, he explained himself for less than five minutes and his explanations were accepted,” Mbalula said.

“If he [Lesufi] thinks he will run a campaign against the secretary-general of the ANC, he must mind his steps because we will act. We will never tolerate rogueness in the ANC.

“If he has decided to run a campaign against me, defacing the secretary-general of the ANC and doing so perpetually despite the fact that we are engaging politically and have settled matters, we will have to see how to get around that.

“We will never allow anarchy because we are running an organisation and our management of the organisation is informed by the principles of democratic centralism. Democratic centralism dictates that when a decision is taken by the upper structures, the lower structures follow in line.”

Factionalism Within the ANC

Mbalula’s remarks follow a series of comments made by Lesufi that Mbalula interpreted as anti-government of national unity. Despite this tension, the ANC Secretary-General claims that his meeting with Lesufi resolved the issues at hand.

Collective Responsibility and Party Discipline

During his interview, Mbalula reiterated the principle of democratic centralism, which mandates that decisions made by higher structures must be adhered to by lower tiers within the ANC.

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He highlighted the party’s commitment to uphold discipline and unity, indicating that recent misrepresentations, such as those involving Obed Bapela in Morocco, will lead to decisive action.

As tensions subside, Mbalula expresses assurance about his personal relationship with Lesufi, confirming that they remain on amicable terms. Nonetheless, he maintains a firm stance on organizational discipline within the ANC, emphasizing that the integrity of the party must be preserved to avoid detrimental factionalism.