The African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula has confirmed as authentic the leaked letter by former President Thabo Mbeki, which was directed to the ANC leadership.
Briefing the media in Johannesburg following the ANC National Working Committee (NWC) meeting, he says it’s regrettable that there are individuals within the ANC who continue to leak to the media, confidential documents which are not meant for public consumption.
The NWC of the ANC met this week to discuss matters affecting the governing party.
It has expressed concern over the leaking of the letter by former President Thabo Mbeki, directed to the ANC leadership.
In the leaked letter, Mbeki is lambasting ANC Members of Parliament for having covered up the Phala Phala farm saga surrounding President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mbalula says the ANC NWC has expressed regret on this matter and will, in consultation with the ANC National Executive Committee, seek an audience with Mbeki to address his concerns.
“The ANC finds it regrettable that a letter from former President Thabo Mbeki, directed at national to ANC has landed in the public domain through a leak. The national officials will discuss the letter and seek an audience from the former President. It is only then that the ANC will consider a commentary on the contents of that letter and discussions with former President Mbeki,” says Mbalula.
VIDEO: Former President Thabo Mbeki pens a letter to ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile
In his letter addressed to the Deputy President Paul Mashatile, the former President says he was disturbed by the votes cast in the National Assembly on the Panel Report into the matter and the motion on Eskom.
Political analyst from Nelson Mandela University, Professor Bheki Mngomezulu weighs in:
Meanwhile, Mbalula says the party will act decisively against some ANC councilors in the Mangaung Metro in the Free State, for voting with the DA in electing a new speaker.
“The people of Mangaung have been loyal to the ANC, the people of Mangaung have voted for the ANC throughout and we cannot allow a court-carry of few individuals to undermine that confidence to our people. We are confident to turn around the municipality and ensure service delivery, and at the same time we’ll act decisively to ensure there is discipline in the organisation,” Mbalula adds.
The ANC Secretary-General has defended the reconfiguration of the party’s Youth League National Youth Task Team by the NWC.
He says squabbles and internal fighting are the reasons behind this decision.
The ANC youth league will have its much anticipated National Conference in June at Nasrec in Johannesburg.
