ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has summoned the party’s Limpopo leadership to the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters following a surprise notice from the provincial chairperson, Stanley Mathabatha, that he is stepping aside from his role.
The urgent meeting with the province’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) was convened to discuss Mathabatha’s decision and the contents of a detailed letter he wrote to Mbalula. In the letter, Mathabatha cites alleged serious irregularities and misconduct in the recent Vhembe and Waterberg regional conferences as his reason for stepping aside.
The allegations from the chairperson point to a deep-seated crisis in the party’s internal processes. According to political analyst Rabelani Mamphogoro of the University of South Africa, the specific complaints from the Vhembe conference included the improper vetting of delegates eligible to vote and allegations of tampering with nomination boxes.
Mamphogoro explained that the situation was exacerbated when, instead of the appointed Regional Task Team being allowed to investigate these claims, the national leadership was perceived to have intervened to allow the processes to continue unchecked. This departure from the ANC’s core values and protocols is understood to be central to Mathabatha’s decision.
The analyst suggested that Mathabatha’s move denotes a significant shift in the political landscape of the ANC in Limpopo, a province where he has historically held considerable influence. The timing is critical, with local government elections approaching next year, and raises questions about the party’s stability and unity in a key region.
This is not the first time Mathabatha has been at the center of national political intrigue. His unexpected pivot at the previous ANC national conference to support a candidate other than President Cyril Ramaphosa was noted as a major moment and drew public criticism from the secretary general.
While Mamphogoro believes Mathabatha likely still retains support within the province, he pointed to a “top-bottom trajectory” within the ANC where new national leaders install their own factions down to the provincial and regional levels. This, he argues, may have eroded Mathabatha’s operational grip on power, making his position increasingly difficult despite his popular support.
The outcome of the meeting at Luthuli House is awaited, as it will determine the ANC’s official response to the chairperson’s serious allegations and his future within the party’s provincial structures.