African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has confirmed that he summoned the party’s chairperson in Gauteng Panyaza Lesufi to Luthuli House, the party’s headquarters in Johannesburg on Monday, 7 October, over his anti-Government of National Unity remarks.
Mbalula said this as there is reportedly tension between the ANC nationally and in Gauteng over the GNU and working with the Democratic Alliance (DA) at a municipal level.
MBALULA CONFIRMS HE SUMMONED PANYAZA LESUFI TO LUTHULI HOUSE
On Tuesday, 8 October, the ANC held a media briefing on the outcome of the national working committee’s (NWC) meeting.
Mbalula confirmed that he summoned Lesufi to Luthuli House saying that engaging leaders is part of the organisational culture that also helps unite the organisation.
Further, he clarified that even though he has a good relationship with Panyaza but they are not friends.
“Whenever I engage with him as the secretary-general he respects the office of the SG and I respect him. We’ve got a good organisational comradely relationship. That relationship has not broken, even yesterday [Monday], there could never have been any tension between us,” he said.
ANC TO SUPPORT DA FOR CILLIERS BRINK TO RETURN AS TSHWANE MAYOR?
During the briefing, Mbalula confirmed that the party is yet to reach a conclusion on a mayoral candidate as it is still negotiating with other political parties in Tshwane.
The DA told the ANC that it wants Cilliers Brink who was ousted via a motion of no confidence on 26 September to return as mayor or else there will be no stability pact. The ANC and DA were negotiating about stabilising the metro municipalities across the country that were hung following the 2021 local government elections.
Although Mbalula slammed the DA for its ultimatum, he confirmed that the ANC is also negotiating with the Blue Party.
City of Tshwane council will meet on Wednesday, 9 October to elect a mayor.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MBALULA’S SSENTIMENTS ABOUT PANYAZA LESUFI?
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