Newly elected ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s warning to party members against defying party instructions has been described as draconian by delegates attending the national elective conference.
On Monday, the party announced that president Cyril Ramaphosa had been re-elected to lead the party until 2027 with former treasurer-general Paul Mashatile elected as deputy president, Gwede Mantashe retained the chairperson position, Mbalula is secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane first deputy secretary-general, Maropene Ramokgopa second deputy secretary-general and Gwen Ramokgopa elected treasurer-general.
Prior to the ANC using its majority in Parliament to reject the Section 89 independent panel report which found prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa may have violated the Constitution, opposition parties had accused the ANC of using “overwhelming intimidation” tactics against its own MPs to decide whether to proceed with an impeachment committee for Ramaphosa.
The ATM, UDM and IFP said that Mantashe’s comments to a national newspaper, in which he warned ANC MPs about the consequences of defying an ANC instruction, were harmful to democracy.
In Parliament, five ANC MPs, including Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, voted for the process to continue. It is unclear how these members will be disciplined although Mantashe had said there would be consequences.
On Monday Mbalula warned ANC members that such acts would not be tolerated.
“There is no self-respecting political party that will go to Parliament and vote to impeach its own president. That decision can only be taken by the ANC. No member we have sent to Parliament will exist on their own and have their own conscience. If you want your own conscience then open your own political party.
“Here it is democratic centralism but if you call yourself an ANC member there are rules, there is a party line and if you don’t want to follow the party line then you belong elsewhere.”
Delegates attending the conference said such remarks went against the ANC’s democratic values where voices of dissent were encouraged.
“The party must first fix its internal systems so that dissenting views are not ignored or one becomes victimised for holding a different view. People are going outside the party structures and beyond the protocol because there is no patience for those who hold a different view,” said a source.