Mbalula blames DA for Trump's tariffs and US threats to sanction ANC leaders

TimesLIVE

7 hours ago

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has suggested that the party's GNU partners were the catalyst of the recently implemented punitive tariffs and threats of sanctions of ANC leaders by the US.
Speaking at a media briefing on the outcomes of the party's national executive committee, Mbalula accused the DA of 'political mischief', claiming that the ANC had identified the DA as having campaigned against transformative policies of the country during its trips to the US.
The DA and the ANC have been at loggerheads over foreign policy. DA deputy minister Andrew Whitfield was fired by Ramaphosa after he travelled to the US while Pretoria was under continued attacks from the White House.
'You can't, for national interest, say undo BEE to appease the US because among others this is what the US wants of us, that we must do away with certain policies which for us in terms of transformation policy are not going to assist us,' he said.
Mbalula dared the US to impose sanctions on ANC leaders, saying such threats by US congressional members would not deter the ANC from pursuing its transformation agenda.
'Even if it means that we suffer through sanctions as leaders of the ANC, let it be. We will never back imperialists to subvert our democracy, to subvert our sovereignty... We will never forsake our country which we fought for.'
ANC to engage the SACP
Mbalula said the ANC had resolved to engage its tripartite alliance partner, the SACP, to reverse its decision to contest elections. He said the SACP's decision had far-reaching consequences for the national democratic revolution.
'The ANC will act with maturity and fortitude, engaging our allies with humility but also with clarity ... However, we might have reached a stage where we are unable to [shift] the SACP from its decision to contest the elections and we believe that will weaken the NDR — and it is important that the SACP understands the implications of its decision,' he said.
Western Cape reconfigured
He announced that the NEC had resolved to disband its embattled Western Cape provincial executive committee. He said that the national subcommittees would be deployed to the province to reinforce political education, organisational discipline and strategic capacity. He said the party's working committee would oversee the process.
He said the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces had recorded significant progress in rebuilding branches and restoring organisational coherence. He added that the NEC was satisfied with the advances made by the two provinces.
The ANC disbanded the two provinces earlier this year after the election results which contributed to it falling below the 50% majority needed to govern the country.
Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal are the most strategic provinces for the ANC, with more than 40% of its electoral base.
Mbalula announced that the party's midterm policy review, dubbed the national general council, would be held in December at the Nasrec Expo Centre and be attended by 1,600 delegates. He said the party would finalise the theme of the NGC and its strategic framework.