Latest news with #DumaNokweMemorialLecture
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
MK party loses in KZN and Joburg by-elections, Shivambu alleges threats and intimidation
The ANC won three of four wards that held by-elections on Wednesday. It was a big day for the ANC after walking away with three wards in Wednesday's by-elections, while the MK party walked away with nothing. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) held four by-elections in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Northern Cape. The ANC took three of the four wards by strong margins. It retained Freedom Park and Motsoaledi in Johannesburg, with 2 630 votes compared to the MK party's 1 100. In KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC retained Mpofana after taking 1 436 votes, compared to the MK party's 634. ALSO READ: MK party slams GNU partners for prioritising political expediency before South Africa The ward was up for contestation following the passing of ANC councillor France Malevu in February In the Northern Cape, the ANC took a ward from the Namakwa Civic Movement, while the DA retained Ward 9 in Stellenbosch. ANC celebrates wins The ANC is in high spirits following the wins, hoping they're a sign of things to come in the 2026 local government elections. 'The party welcomes the recent by-election results and expresses its full gratitude to the people of Ward 24, Greater Johannesburg Region, for their strong demonstration of commitment to the ANC. The ANC lives, the ANC leads,' said the party on Wednesday. ALSO READ: ANC denies it approached Zuma and MK party to join GNU In the Northern Cape, premier Zamani Saul said: 'The ANC in the Northern Cape emerges with victory in Ward 5, Namakhoi Municipality. Winning five successive by-elections in the province, taking wards from opposition parties. 'Thanks to our hard-working volunteers and voters of Ward 5 for their confidence and support in the people's movement. The moment of resurgence of the people's movement is upon us, watch this space.' Joburg ward 24. We surge on. — ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) May 15, 2025 Presenting the Duma Nokwe Memorial Lecture on Tuesday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula commended the Gauteng leadership for 'reviving' the party. 'Comrade Hope Papo, the Coordinator of the PTT in Gauteng ANC, is doing a great job with his team to revive the ANC in this province. I'm not saying this because I'm patronising you. We can all see that people are busy in Gauteng. ALSO READ: MK party claims victory over DA to secure first major metro win 'We must build our structures, and we must exorcise the wrong out of the ANC. If it means we must lose friends because we are doing the right thing, then let it be. I just want to encourage comrade Hope and his team to continue representing and doing a great work of reviving and rebuilding the ANC in Gauteng.' Shivambu: MK party 'fought a good fight' MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu acknowledged the losses in Johannesburg and Mpofana and encouraged the leadership to keep fighting. He blamed the losses on the alleged abuse of state resources and intimidation by the 'government of national unity (GNU) forces.' 'We didn't win Ward 24 in Johannesburg and Ward 4 in Mpofana. Our volunteers and candidates fought a good fight against abuse of state resources, intimidation and threats by GNU forces,' said the MK party secretary-general. 'uMKhonto weSizwe remains a formidable force and will remain as such! We are not a small or regional party. Let's fight on, commanders. We will correct all these in 2026 and 2029. No surrender! No retreat.' He said the MK party was busy preparing for the by-elections on 28 May in the Free State. 'We will win Ward 16 Ngwathe in Fezile Dabi Region, Free State Province. No retreat!' READ NEXT: MK Party 'no spare wheel for ANC to use' in budget vote spat
The Citizen
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Fikile Mbalula delivers Memorial Lecture in Sedibeng
VEREENIGING – ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula fired up the Vereeniging Civic Hall on May 13 as he delivered the highly anticipated Duma Nokwe Memorial Lecture. The event attracted party members from all walks of life, dressed in regalia to honour Nokwe's legacy. Nokwe was a struggle veteran who served as the ANC's secretary-general from 1958 to 1969. He died in exile in Zambia in 1978, during the height of apartheid. In September 2024, Nokwe's remains, along with those of 48 other freedom fighters, were returned from Zambia and Zimbabwe. Delivering his keynote address, Mbalula said the gathering was more than a lecture, it was a call for action. 'Though small, in spirit, he [Nokwe] was a giant whose political perspective embraced all humanity. Although Nokwe lived a short life, he left behind a big mirror that will forever help those who heed to navigate their challenges with resilience and fortitude,' he said. Mbalula did not hold back, using the platform to deliver punches as he warned against corruption and internal party battles. 'Corruption, poor service delivery, arrogance, and social distance are perceptions that engulf our daily politics. It is very easy to be in opposition, but difficult to govern,' he said. 'Let us not make it easy for our opponents to destroy us by looking inwardly and slaughtering ourselves from within. Let us not celebrate divisions within our organisation,' he said as the hall clapped and screamed 'bua' speak. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Mbalula: ANC must win elections outright to bypass DA resistance in GNU
Fikile Mbalula says the ANC will continue passing laws aimed at deepening transformation, whether the opposition likes it or not. Image: X/@FikileMbalula African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula says the only way the party can overcome opposition from the Democratic Alliance (DA) - a member of the Government of National Unity (GNU) - is to win the next elections with an outright majority. Speaking at the Duma Nokwe Memorial Lecture in Sedibeng on Tuesday, Mbalula said the ANC would not be deterred, even as the DA continues to challenge key government policies in court. 'Comrades, the misrepresentation of the Expropriation Act is evidence that the beneficiaries of apartheid will not sleep,' Mbalula said. 'Similarly, those who have taken us to court for advancing employment equity are working overtime to reverse the gains of our freedom.' The DA has challenged both the Expropriation Without Compensation Act and the Employment Equity Amendment Act in court and has a track record of legal opposition to ANC policies. In April, the party successfully contested the adoption of a fiscal framework in Parliament. Although the ANC had secured the budget with backing from both GNU allies and non-aligned parties such as ActionSA and Build One South Africa (BOSA), the DA and Freedom Front Plus opposed it. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Despite being the second-largest party in the GNU, the DA has failed politically to stop key legislation, including the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act Mbalula said the ANC must secure a decisive electoral mandate to prevent policy gridlock. 'It is clear to us, as the ANC, that the only way to overcome this strategic setback is to win the elections with an outright majority,' he said. 'However, comrades, we must not just win the elections to manage contradictions, but to ensure radical and rapid socio-economic transformation.' He argued that South Africans have already signalled their desire for change. 'Our people have said through the ballot that they want radical and accelerated change,' he said. 'As the ANC, we must listen to the masses and not justify the unjustifiable.' Acknowledging the party's failure to win more than 50% in the last election, Mbalula dismissed claims of voter migration. 'Our people simply decided to stay at home. They did not go to any other political party,' he said. 'If they had, we would have a completely new government in the republic.' He stressed that the ANC remains the country's largest party and will continue to push forward with its legislative agenda. 'That is why, comrades, with that 40%, we will deepen transformation,' he said. 'We will pass laws that deepen transformation—the BELA Act, the NHI, the Expropriation Act, Employment Equity, and more. Those who are in court to challenge these laws of transformation must gear up for a long battle, because we are not going to stop.' Mbalula also invoked the legacy of Duma Nokwe, ANC secretary-general from 1958 to 1969, to call for introspection and reform within the party. Nokwe died in 1978 at the age of 50. 'It is in this sense that we believe Comrade Duma Nokwe gave us an opportunity to reflect and correct ourselves,' Mbalula said. 'This self-correction, comrades, is being realised through the process of organisational renewal and rebuilding. We must admit our mistakes and correct them.' IOL Politics
Daily Maverick
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
DA is ‘working overtime to reverse the gains of freedom'
The ANC secretary-general said the party needed to reverse its electoral decline to overcome the 'strategic setback' brought about by the Government of National Unity. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula took a veiled swipe at the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Tuesday, accusing the party of being determined to roll back the gains of freedom by challenging key legislation in court. While it is a member of the Government of National Unity (GNU), the DA has challenged legislation including the Employment Equity Amendment Act, the Bela Act and the Expropriation Act. 'Those who have taken us to courts are working overtime to reverse the gains of our freedom. It is clear, comrades, to us as the ANC, that the only way to overcome this strategic setback is to win the elections with an outright majority,' Mbalula said. He made the remarks during his keynote address at the ANC's Duma Nokwe Memorial Lecture, held in the Sedibeng Municipality. Mbabula delivered the address after South Africa failed twice to pass the 2025 Budget, which is now expected to be tabled on 21 May. Mbalula believes the revised Budget must be reflective of transformation policies. 'Radical socioeconomic transformation must and will happen in our lifetime. It is our contention as the ANC that the national Budget must reflect a growth path that would ensure adequate absorption of the unemployed through economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and expansion of existing businesses,' he said. With the 2026 local government elections on the horizon, Mbalula said his party needed to win elections to mitigate against what he referred to as contradictions and strategic setbacks seemingly happening because of policy differences among political parties in the GNU. 'Comrades, we must not just win the elections to manage contradictions, but to ensure radical and rapid socioeconomic transformation. Our people have said through the ballot that they want radical and accelerated change.' Despite taking a beating in the 2024 elections, Mbalula maintained that his party lost mostly because of a poor voter turnout. 'As much as we did not get over 50% … our people simply decided to stay at home. They didn't go to any other political party. If they went to other political parties, we will be having a total new government in the republic. 'The ANC is still the largest party in South Africa today. That is why, comrades, with that 40% we will deepen transformation. We will pass laws that will deepen transformation — [the] Bela Act, NHI, Expropriation Act…' 'A chance to correct' Duma Nokwe served as the ANC's secretary-general from 1958 to 1969, a pivotal period in the struggle against apartheid. He died in 1978 while in exile in Zambia, during the height of apartheid. In September 2024, his remains, along with those of 48 other freedom fighters, were repatriated from Zambia and Zimbabwe. The ANC is planning to rebury him alongside his wife, Nomvuyo, on Saturday, 17 May. Speaking about Nokwe's legacy, the ANC NEC member Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said he was an advocate for education, which was evident in his BSc and law degrees. 'He loved his country, he loved the people, he was brave. Revolutionaries are brave. They are not cowards. But he also stood by the truth, even if the truth was going to get him into trouble,' she said. 'We must learn from him to be true servants of the people.' While high-end fashion, luxury brands and expensive alcohol have almost become the norm in political lifestyles, Dlamini Zuma said Nokwe inspired generations of young people without any of that. In January, Mbalula made headlines for travelling by yacht instead of the regular ferry that took other guests to a party on Robben Island. In another incident, he arrived at an election manifesto launch in KwaZulu-Natal last year in a luxury car worth more than R4-million, highlighting the growing gap between politicians and the people they represent. Dlamini Zuma said Nokwe didn't inspire people 'because he wore expensive clothes; he didn't inspire them because he drank expensive alcohol. He inspired them because he had a sharp intellect, he could analyse, he could debate and he could teach'. To honour Nokwe's legacy, Mbalula said ANC deployees must remember that Nokwe's years in exile were a reminder that freedom came at a great cost — and for that reason, the party must get its house in order. One of the ways to do this, he said, was by fully committing to the ANC's renewal agenda. 'Nokwe gives us a chance to reflect and correct ourselves. This process of self-correction is carried out through organisational renewal and rebuilding. We must acknowledge our mistakes and take steps to fix them. 'As we approach the local government elections in 2026, we must return to the basics and ensure that the ANC lives among the communities and champions their everyday struggles.' DM
