ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, has told delegates he will not be “blackmailed” amid growing internal tensions and succession talk within the party, insisting that the organisation must prioritise rebuilding ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Mbalula was speaking at the ANC West Rand 12th regional conference on Tuesday, where he addressed delegates after the election of new regional leadership and warned against internal divisions that he said were weakening the movement.William Matsheke was elected chairperson, Lucky Sele deputy chairperson, Mkhuseli Jokazi regional secretary, Mcebisi Moyeni deputy regional secretary, and Nozuko Best regional treasurer.
He told delegates the conference had proceeded successfully, despite earlier interruptions, and said the party must now shift focus to organisational renewal and rebuilding support ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Mbalula said the party had to move past internal contestation and focus on rebuilding its support base, warning that factional battles and governance failures had damaged public confidence.
He said the ANC was facing what he described as an “existential crisis”, adding that branches had in some cases become “battlegrounds for tender disputes rather than platforms for community service”.
While no formal succession contest has been declared, political figures such as deputy president Paul Mashatile and businessman Patrice Motsepe have been widely mentioned in discussions about the ANC’s future leadership.
Mbalula used his address to dismiss claims of factional alignment, saying he remained committed to the organisation as a whole.“A lot of people say Mbalula is supporting these people, and they will never support him. I support the ANC. I don’t care about your support,” he said.
“I’m a secretary-general. I was elected. I’m leading those who didn’t elect me, and I must show them the way. I won’t be blackmailed because 2027 is coming. We will know when we get there.”
He urged members to avoid internal succession battles, stressing that the immediate priority must be the 2026 local government elections.
“The first gate is 2026. There is no 2027 without 2026, and there is no 2028 without 2026,” he said, adding that electoral rebuilding should take precedence over leadership contestation.
“Our movement has been battered by scandals that erode public trust,” he said, adding that corruption had weakened the ANC’s moral authority and internal divisions had diverted attention from public service delivery.
“In too many of our branches, meetings have become battlegrounds for tender disputes rather than platforms for community service. This must end if we are to decisively tackle the existential crisis we face,” he said.
He added that the ANC risked losing relevance if it failed to transform itself, warning that it could otherwise “become a footnote in history”.
Mbalula said the party’s survival had historically not been based on personal enrichment, but on sacrifice by generations of cadres committed to the liberation struggle.
“The ANC had not survived 114 years by pursuing tenders and accumulating wealth,” he said, adding that it must return to that principle of service and discipline.He said renewal required stronger and more accountable branches, warning that weak structures allowed opportunism and weakened the organisation as a whole.
“Every branch must become a centre of community activism, not a vehicle for accessing government resources,” he said.
He added that recruitment should be based on belief in the movement rather than personal advancement.
Mbalula also said the ANC must take a firm stance against corruption, stating that anyone who used their position for personal enrichment had betrayed the organisation’s legacy.
He further stressed that leadership in the ANC must be rooted in service, discipline, and commitment to communities, not internal power struggles.
He added that the movement must also intensify organisational rebuilding, strengthen discipline and restore public trust through visible delivery and accountability at branch level.